Suntory Melded Five Incredible Japanese Whiskies Into a Single Jaw-Dropping Blend

Suntory Hibiki whisky was first released in 1989 and has since developed a reputation as the archetype of balance, the characteristic that makes Japanese whisky so exceptional. You may recognize the broad-shouldered cylindrical bottle from the film Lost in Translation, as peddled by Bill Murray. But the new Hibiki 40 is another animal.

I was on hand in Paris for the global reveal of Hibiki 40, and got a chance to sit down with Shinji Fukuyo, Suntory’s fifth-generation chief blender who's been with the company since 1984.