The new blend takes whiskies from Suntory’s Yamazaki, Hakushu and Chita distilleries, each matured for over 40 years and combined by Suntory’s chief blender, Shinji Fukuyo.
Speaking about the whisky, Fukuyo said: “I would like people to enjoy the pure aroma that has been sharpened over the years; the tranquillity of old temples and storehouses and the nostalgic warm feeling that accompanies them.”
To create the packaging, the brand collaborated with Japanese washi (hand-woven paper) artist Eriko Horiki to produce the label on the box.
The box itself is made from 12 kinds of Japanese wood and has 12 faces representing the months of the year.
The bottle is decorated with traditional Japanese maki-e, mother-of-pearl inlay, and gold lacquer.
A very limited allocation of Hibiki 40 Years Old will be made available in select markets at an rrp of £33,150.
