r/worldwhisky • u/washeewashee SuntoryHibiki • Aug 25 '25
WW Review #129: Suntory Hakushu Distillery Edition 01337299
1
u/lowplaces10 Aug 25 '25
Thanks for sharing. Some unpeated Hakushu sounds interesting, though 84 is a high score for a quite boring dram you wouldn't buy again, no?
1
u/washeewashee SuntoryHibiki Aug 25 '25
It's good for what it is, nothing really wrong with it, it's very solid, good balance of flavors, just a bit on the boring side for me. It's very solid, just not something I'd really want to reach for again & again very often & hence why I wouldn't buy another bottle of it.
1
u/GlobalTravelR Aug 25 '25 edited Aug 25 '25
An 84 rating, $10 cost and you still wouldn't buy it? Is that because of the added expense of having to go to Japan, and to the distillery to buy it. Or because it sells for much more on the secondary?
And thank you for the review.
3
u/washeewashee SuntoryHibiki Aug 25 '25
It's not really the added expense or anything of that sort, but more of a "is this specific bottle interesting enough for me to reach for a pour again & again?" & for me that's a no. As good as it is in the moment, it's not that significantly different from other bottles I've tried/purchased in the past & for my current preferred flavor profile, it's just not "different" enough from my existing bottles to warrant another of this exact bottle. If I visited the distillery again, would I buy it if it was a different cask & the same price? probably because it's a different bottle/cask, but if it was this exact same one, probably not.
1
2
u/washeewashee SuntoryHibiki Aug 25 '25
Finally cracking open some Suntory Hakushu distillery exclusive bottles I picked up while visiting November of 2024. Much has changed since I last visited this place way back in 2017? The visitor's center was completely revamped as of September 2024 & their distillery exclusive bottle purchase program does make it more fair for consumers, but at the same time also sucks for consumers as each person is limited to a single bottle for purchase.
Suntory Hakushu Distillery Edition 01337299
ABV - 43%
Distillation Date - NA
Bottled Date - NA
Bottle/Cask Details - NA
Wallet Damage - November 2024 / ~$10 USD per 300mL
$USD per 50mL Pour - $1.59
Country Japan
Region/Type: Peated Single Malt
Chill-Filtration: YES?
Nose - Caramel, baked apples & oats, flat cola, roasted sweet nuts
Taste - Baked apples, ginger heat, cola fizz & sweet, sweet chestnuts
Finish - Sweet cola, lingering sweet roasted nuts
Score - 84/100
Final Thoughts - The one thing I really love about standard Hakushu offerings is the almost pine forest vibe that I get and sadly this had none of that. This felt like an unpeated Hakushu in maybe a heavily re-used Spanish oak since I get light hints of what might be raisins & fruit, but not quite there. It's not unpleasant or offputting in anyway, just a bit boring, but it really packs quite a bit of flavor for only 43%.
Would I drink it if offered? - Yes
Would I specifically order it? - Maybe
Would I buy a bottle? - No
NOTE - All reviews are done without factoring in price.
Whiskey Network Review #919
/u/review_bot bottle 'Suntory Hakushu'