Technically, although Hibiki is a "whisky" it's not a Scotch because, of course, it's not made in Scotland. Made in Japan by beverage giant Suntory, whose most well known product in the USA, for years and years, was the sickly sweet neon green melon liqueur Midori.
But the Japanese have always had a strong affinity for Scotch. Scotch arrived with the British back in the 1800s and the complexity and craftsmanship of Scotch (and whisky generally) appealed immediately to the Japanese. Now, in 2014, they make some of the best whisky I've ever had - Scotch or otherwise. I have a very good friend with a highly trusted and refined palate who claims that a 40 Year expression of one of the Suntory whiskies is among the very best he's ever had - and he's had all the very good stuff.
