Hinotori 5 Year Old Blended Japanese Whiskey

We begin our descent into Hekinan City on Japan’s southern coast, where sea breezes and quiet resilience shape one of the country’s rising whisky names: Hinotori—“Phoenix” in Japanese.
The whisky is produced at Hekinan Distillery, founded in 1949 and recently reborn after a long pause. This rebirth is central to Hinotori’s identity. Like its namesake, the Phoenix, the distillery embraces renewal—honoring its legacy while stepping confidently into a new era of Japanese whisky.
Your sample, Hinotori Blended 5 Years Old, is crafted from a combination of grain and malt whiskies aged for a minimum of five years in American oak barrels. The result is a smooth, light-bodied blend with gentle layers rather than aggressive power. Expect vanilla and soft orchard fruit up front, a touch of sweet spice through the mid-palate, and a whisper of smoke tying it together.
This is Japanese whisky at its most understated and calm—balanced, clear, and quietly elegant. It’s a dram that doesn’t shout for attention but rewards those who lean in and listen.
In the skies above Aichi, Hinotori stands as a symbol of tradition reborn—proof that a family-run distillery, guided by patience and craft, can rise again with grace, subtlety, and beautifully composed flavor."