The House of Suntory has released the Hibiki 12 Years Old Travel Exclusive Series, bringing the expression to global travel retail for the first time in 11 years. The blend debuted at Dubai Duty Free in May before rolling out across select international airports on June 1, 2026.
The expression was reimagined by fifth-generation chief blender Shinji Fukuyo. It blends whiskies from Yamazaki, Hakushu and Chita.
The blend matures in American oak, Spanish oak and Mizunara oak. Suntory said the release “revisits Hibiki’s original vision” and “highlights its blossoming elegance and harmony.”
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Hibiki 12 Years Old will be available in a 700ml bottle. The recommended retail price is approximately $188 (£140) in global travel retail.
The bottle design draws on Kacho-Fugetsu, a classical Japanese concept celebrating nature through flowers, birds, wind and moon. Water elements complement the theme.
Hibiki’s signature 24-faceted bottle remains central to the design. The facets represent Japan’s 24 microseasons.
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READ THE STORYThe updated packaging also incorporates the Marumado motif. It is a circular window used in traditional Japanese architecture to frame nature “like a living painting.”
“Hibiki 12 Years Old has always held a special place within The House of Suntory portfolio, and we’ve seen continued appreciation for this expression from whisky enthusiasts around the world,” said Masaki Morimoto, president of The House of Suntory.
“Reintroducing Hibiki 12 as a newly reimagined blend exclusively in travel retail allows us to bring it back in a way that is both intentional and globally accessible, while honoring the craftsmanship and harmony that define the brand.”
According to the official notes from the brand, the whisky has a golden amber color. The nose offers persimmon, jasmine, cardamom, and hints of orange and sandalwood.
The palate features spiced orange peel, toasted cinnamon and butterscotch. The finish is “rich” and “long” with a “spiced soothing aftertaste.”
Suntory recommends serving the whisky over a “Marugori” hand-carved ice ball.
Beyond Dubai, the series will reach airports including Singapore Changi, New York’s John F. Kennedy International, and hubs in London, Incheon, Hong Kong, Paris, Sydney and São Paulo.
The Hibiki range sits within Suntory’s Japanese whisky portfolio alongside single malts Yamazaki and Hakushu.
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