Hibiki 35 Arita – Kutani

Hibiki 35 Arita Kutani is the most famous blended whisky from Japan, in its 35-year-old version hasn’t been bottled for several years, and due to the shortage of old and very old Japanese whiskies, everybody feared ever see again day a bottle of this ultra-premium whisky. As well as the previous versions, but also to honor and mark the 400th anniversary of the appearance of porcelain in Japan, Suntory has used the expertise of traditional ceramics producers in Arita and Kutani on the island of Kyushu.

For the occasion, the craftsmen have created a traditional design incorporating the typical shape of Hibiki blend bottles that combines drawings of peonies flowers, a symbol of happiness and wealth, and butterflies representing longevity. Bottled unchillfiltered at 47% above volume, Hibiki 35-year-old is a real blending jewel containing single malts and grain whiskies aged in different types of barrels such as Sherry, Bourbon, and Mizunara casks the rare oak from Japan, whose ages range from 35 to 54 year old for the oldest one! Only 150 bottles of each edition were produced.

This handmade ceramic bottle is to honour and mark the 400th anniversary of the appearance of porcelain in Japan. Suntory has used the expertise of traditional ceramics producers in Arita and Kutani on the island of Kyushu.

The Kutani (a territory of Japan) style of Japanese ceramic-ware dates back to the mid-17th Century, after a gold-mine worker in the area named Goto Saijiro was sent by his feudal lord to learn the art of porcelain manufacture in Arita. While the artefacts produced in Arita were more conservative, and discernably Chinese in feel, the Kutani developed their own more colourful, visceral style.