Suntory Announces New Yamazaki & Hibiki Single Malts

In the first major Japanese whisky news of 2021, Suntory announced that they are launching two brand new expressions in their Yamazaki and Hibiki ranges – The Yamazaki Limited Edition 2021 and the Hibiki Blossom Harmony 2021. Whisky fans the world over will be delighted to know that both of these exciting new whiskies contain a significant amount of well-aged liquid, possibly signifying that the Japanese whisky shortage is indeed easing.

Yamazaki Limited Edition 2021

Between 2014 and 2017, the Yamazaki Limited Edition bottlings were some of the most sought after annual Japanese whisky releases. Limited in numbers and containing some precious, aged Yamazaki liquid inside, they delivered in quality, appearance and collectibility. It was only once the realities of the perilous whisky shortage took hold that these wonderful expressions were lay by the wayside, making way for a number of less-premium, NAS whiskies such as the Essence of Suntory Volumes 3 and 4 and the recent Yamazaki Cask Finish releases.

While these releases did turn out to be somewhat interesting, and well worth trying in their own right, they weren’t nearly as close to the ‘complete package’ as the Limited Editions that we had become so accustomed to getting excited about over the years.

Now, with the Yamazaki Limited Edition 2021, the good times have returned, at least partially, and we have some truly premium Yamazaki liquid to get our gums around.

Created by marrying malts of 12 years and older, all of which had been matured solely in virgin Mizunara oak casks, this delightful whisky is smooth, flavour-packed and incredibly moreish.

According to Suntory, it brings pineapple, orange and nutmeg on the nose before honey, coconut cream and blueberries arrive on the palate. The finish is medium length and somewhat smoky, with vanilla and ginger also lingering.

The drinks giant has yet to reveal how many bottles of the Yamazaki Limited Edition 2021 will be released, we’re sure that info will come in good time, but they have stated that it will be available to the public from the 25th of May 2021.

If you want to make sure that you get your hands on this exciting new bottle, you can pre-order today by clicking the link below.

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Hibiki Blossom Harmony 2021

The second of Suntory’s new releases comes from their Hibiki range, and it too is a limited edition. Over the years, Hibiki whisky has picked up a plethora of awards at international spirits competitions around the world, even winning the most prestigious awards on a number of occasions. The expressions are some of the smoothest you’ll find on the market today and the aromas and flavours inside each bottle work together in harmonious fashion to create a drinking experience that is not easily forgotten.

This new expression is set to bring more of the same well-balanced, perfectly crafted whisky, but with a twist.

The blenders at Suntory married Hibiki liquid with Sakura cask finished whisky, allowing us to explore their fine craftsmanship from a completely new angle.

As expected, it’s smooth, gentle and moreish, with the light fruits and creaminess of Hibiki whisky merging seamlessly with the gentle floral tones and light spices imparted by the Sakura cask. The end result is a unique, memorable drinking experience and a whisky that is well worth telling your friends about.

In fact, this special blend is set to be so good that we could easily see it becoming a staple of Japanese whisky-lovers, if only it weren’t for the release’s limited nature.

As with the Yamazaki Limited Edition 2021, Suntory are yet to announce how many bottles will be released, but what we do know is the Hibiki Blossom Harmony 2021 will also come out on May 25th.

To ensure you get your hands on a bottle of this fine new Hibiki whisky, pre-order today by clicking the link below.

Pre-Order Today