Chief blender Shinji Fukuyo used whisky from the company’s Yamazaki, Hakushu and Chita distilleries to create this exclusive blend.
Hibiki 40 Year Old is described as ‘the pinnacle of generations of learning and craftsmanship, and a unique and incredibly rare embodiment of the finest standards of Japanese mastery, making a statement of the spirit of innovation at The House of Suntory.’
Just 400 bottles of this limited-edition whisky will be released on a global basis, selling for $35,000 (£26,702) per bottle.
Suntory, which last year celebrated its 100th anniversary, bills Hibiki 40 Year Old as ‘a perfectly harmonious blend’ that delivers ‘a gorgeous taste with layers of unprecedented aroma and mellowness’.
The blend features whiskies aged in Mizunara, Spanish and American oak, which provides complexity, subtle sweetness and smoothness.
On the nose, Hibiki 40 is said to offer aromas of loquat, dry lemon peel and clove, while whisky lovers can look forward to acacia honey and dry fig on the palate, and an aromatic aftertaste.
Fukuyo said the whisky has ‘a sense of subduedness, like that of an old temple, and a wabi-sabi patina due to the long ageing process’.
He added: ‘I would like people to enjoy the pure aroma that has been sharpened over the years; the tranquillity of old temples and storehouses and the nostalgic warm feeling that accompanies them.’
Artist Eriko Horiki crafted the washi label on the Hibiki 40 Year Old box, which is made from 12 different types of Japanese wood and has 12 faces, representing the 12 months of the year.
The bottle is made from crystal glass and decorated with traditional Japanese maki-e, mother-of-pearl inlay, and gold lacquer designed to pay homage to Suntory’s heritage and tradition.