Hibiki, 12 Year Old Travel Retail Exclusive
Hibiki 12 Years Old has returned to global travel retail after an 11-year absence, reimagined by Suntory's fifth-generation chief blender Shinji Fukuyo rather than reissued, and it draws on Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Chita whiskies matured in American, Spanish, and Mizunara oak. The 24-faceted bottle, which represents Japan's 24 microseasons, carries new packaging drawn from the Kacho-Fugetsu tradition. Bottled at 43% and priced at around $188 for 700ml, it debuted at Dubai Duty Free in May, 2026.
Nose
Banana bread, clementine, lime zest
Palate
Mandarin, Candied fruit, Apple crumble
Finish
Beeswax, grapefruit, brioche
There's an almost weightless quality to this Hibiki, yet it never feels insubstantial. It has the precision and poise of something carefully assembled, each element arriving exactly when it should. The first impression is bright and gently perfumed, before a softer, patisserie-like sweetness begins to build. There's something wonderfully evocative here: warm French pastries, citrus peel, and jasmine tea on a sunny afternoon. Across the palate, it becomes creamier and more indulgent, although that freshness never disappears. The finish is perhaps the most intriguing part, taking a distinctly buttery turn, with beeswax, toasted brioche, and the rounded richness of a good Chardonnay, before a flicker of oak provides definition. Elegant, beautifully composed, and extremely easy to enjoy, this is Hibiki doing what Hibiki does best: making complexity feel effortless.
