House of Suntory is launching two special-edition Hibiki whiskies as it marks 100 years since the opening of Japan's first malt whisky distillery, Yamazaki.

The centennial release of Hibiki 21 Years Old and a limited-edition bottle design of Hibiki Japanese Harmony are the latest offerings from House of Suntory as part of its anniversary celebrations, commemorating the company's founder Shinjiro Torii and his establishment of the Yamazaki Distillery in 1923.

Originally launched in 1989, Hibiki continues to be one of the most popular Japanese blended whiskies. The centenary-edition 21 Years Old is a blend of malt and grain whiskies, including some spirit matured in mizunara oak. Its label features colour gradients designed to represent a sunrise. 

House of Suntory chief blender Shinji Fukuyo said: “For the limited-edition Hibiki 21 Years Old, our team took on the challenge of crafting a new blend to celebrate our centennial. With meticulous precision, we managed to harness the challenging yet rewarding characteristics of Japanese mizunara oak to accentuate the unique flavour profile for which our Hibiki whiskies are known. This special whisky showcases our continued dedication to craftsmanship at the House of Suntory.”

Meanwhile, the Hibiki Japanese Harmony centennial bottle design features motifs of snow, the moon, and flowers, to represent the changing seasons in Japan. 

The Hibiki 21 Years Old (43% ABV) has a recommended retail price of £5,200 per 700ml bottle, while the the Hibiki Japanese Harmony limited-edition bottle (43% ABV) has a recommended price of £210. Both will be available from select retailers including Harrods, Harvey Nichols, and The Whisky Shop.

The release of the Hibiki special editions follows the launch of the Yamazaki 18 Years Old Mizunara and Hakushu 18 Years Old Peated Malt centennial editions earlier this year, as well as limited-edition 100th-anniversary labels for the flagship Yamazaki 12 Years Old and Hakushu 12 Years Old expressions.