Hibiki Japanese Harmony Master’s Select LNY 2026 (Lunar New Year 2026)

Description

Hibiki Japanese Harmony Master’s Select LNY 2026 Bottling Note

This is the limited‑edition Hibiki Japanese Harmony Master’s Select LNY 2026 (Lunar New Year 2026), released as part of Suntory’s special design series for Hibiki. The bottle is sold exclusively through selected international duty‑free outlets, such as Singapore Changi Airport, and commemorates the 2026 Spring Festival—China’s Lunar New Year.

Its most striking feature is the presentation box. The design centres on a vivid, oriental vermilion red, decorated with plum blossoms and pine trees rendered in gold and black, giving it a luxurious, festive appearance. Hibiki is known for its iconic 24‑faceted decanter, and for this release the outer box also adopts a 24‑facet motif. The front opens like a pair of folding doors, revealing an inner illustration that continues the plum and pine theme, accompanied by a moon and a small songbird—perhaps a Japanese white‑eye—evoking the arrival of spring.

Inside is the Hibiki Japanese Harmony Master’s Select, the expression created for duty‑free markets. One might wish the bottle itself had been given a special design for this edition, but it remains the standard presentation.

Master’s Select is a duty‑free exclusive blend based on Hibiki Japanese Harmony, enriched with Yamazaki sherry‑cask malt specially selected for this version. Whereas Japanese Harmony leans toward a lighter, cleaner profile, Master’s Select introduces noticeable sherry‑cask influence throughout, particularly on the palate. It is malty, richer in character, and carries a pleasing weight while maintaining overall balance.

Tasting Note

Nose: Notes of rose and dried botanicals meet a toasted nuttiness, accompanied by a faint acidity from younger malts and a touch of sulphur. This gives way to rich Sherry aromas of prunes and dark cacao chocolate. In the background, hints of orange marmalade and estery nuances emerge.

Palate: Sweetness from Spanish oak Sherry casks paired with aromatic wood. Flavours of meringue cookies, prunes, and crackers are complemented by a delicate cacao-like bitterness.

Finish: A light, dry, and bitter finish with a subtle woody astringency. A lingering sweetness, reminiscent of mitarashi (sweet soy glaze), persists.

Overall: A multifaceted dram that captures Hibiki’s signature elegant woodiness alongside the dark, syrupy sweetness of Sherry wood and a distant hint of smoke. With a drop of water, the palate opens up to reveal bright vanilla and floral dried fruit notes. This is a bolder, sweeter, and more bitter expression than the standard Japanese Harmony—a Hibiki truly tailored for the seasoned enthusiast.