Suntory launches affordable version of Hibiki 12YO
Suntory is launching a 500ml version of its Hibiki 12 Year Old Japanese whisky in the UK to encourage consumers to try the brand’s range.
The Father’s Day gift pack for the new 500ml bottle of Hibiki 12YOBelieving consumers are being put off sampling Hibiki by its higher than average price point – £45 for a 700ml bottle of the 12-year-old, the range’s entry level expression – Suntory hopes its smaller, more affordable release will make Hibiki more accessible to a wider fan base.
The move comes despite Hibiki 12 enjoying a 251% YTD growth rate in the UK off the back of increased demand for Japanese whisky.
To mark its launch in the UK, Suntory is launching the 500ml format as part of a special gift pack marketed for Father’s Day (16 June). Presented in an oak box complete with Usuhari (very thin) glass designed to accentuate Hibiki 12’s aroma, and wrapped in the traditional Japanese Furoshiki (Japanese cloth), the release is available for £50.
While the 500ml bottle itself is available now at specialist whisky retailers for around £35, Suntory intends to eventually target high-end supermarket Waitrose later this year.
