I just flew Japan Airlines’ 777 first class across the Pacific, and I ended up making a duty free purchase, which I very rarely do. I can’t decide if that was the right move and an easy opportunity to make a quick buck, or if I just fell for marketing around exclusivity…
In this post:
Japan Airlines selling Hibiki 100th anniversary whisky
At the moment, both All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines are selling Hibiki 100th anniversary whisky via their onboard duty free. This is a rare whisky, so they’re making this very exclusive — only first class passengers can purchase it, and each first class passenger is limited to a single bottle.
What’s interesting here is that this 100th anniversary whisky is so rare that it’s not for sale in many other places. The few retailers that I see selling the whisky are charging well over $1,000 for the bottle, and in many cases, close to $2,000. Now, given the very limited production and supply, it’s hard to tell whether it’s actually selling at that price, or if that’s simply what companies are hoping for, and the inventory is just sitting.
Still, I find this to be an interesting opportunity, since it seems to me like you could potentially sell this bottle at a healthy profit.
I decided to buy a bottle of whisky via duty free
I had known about this opportunity prior to my flight. When I boarded, I wasn’t planning on buying a bottle, mainly because I didn’t want to lug it around while in Japan. It’s nice that the airline also currently serves this onboard, so you can enjoy as much as you’d like during the flight.
In the first class menu binder, I noticed a little card specifically promoting the unique opportunity to buy this whisky.
Still, I wasn’t planning on doing it. However, shortly before landing, the lovely duty free flight attendant was walking through first class with a “final call” for any purchases. As she stopped by my seat, she specifically pointed out the opportunity to purchase the whisky, and reminded me what a good deal and rare opportunity this is. For whatever reason, at that moment, I figured I should buy it.
The cost was 60,000 JPY, or around 400 USD. Obviously that’s a lot of money, but it’s also a lot less than it’s being sold for elsewhere. I’ve gotta say, the presentation was super nice. It came in a special Hibiki bag, and then was presented in a wooden box.
It even came with furoshiki, commemorating Japan Airlines’ 70th anniversary of international service.
I made the purchase, but within hours, I entered the “now what?” phase of processing my decision. Do I take this home, and serve it to guests who are big whisky enthusiasts over the coming years? Do I try to resell it? Do I… do something else?
I think the value side of my brain struggled with turning down something that seemed like an easy opportunity to turn a profit. But I’m not sure how I’d go about selling this, so maybe I’m the sucker here!
Bottom line
All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines are currently giving first class passengers the opportunity to purchase Hibiki 100th anniversary whisky, which can otherwise be hard to find. I’ve been intrigued by this opportunity, and ultimately decided to make a purchase on my flight, since it seems like this sells for way more in public.
But now that I’ve purchased the whisky, I’m faced with the reality that I’m not in the alcohol resale business, and I don’t actually know what to do with this bottle. Did I just get a great deal on an exclusive bottle of alcohol that I don’t want and don’t know what to do with, or…?
Just a note that selling a bottle of alcohol in the US as a private citizen is likely to be illegal. Be sure to do your research if you decide to go down that route. Most collectors favor bottle trades. Or you will often see people selling the bottle itself as a collectible (and maybe it just happens to come with a liquid in it). I'm not vouching for the legality of any of these...
Just a note that selling a bottle of alcohol in the US as a private citizen is likely to be illegal. Be sure to do your research if you decide to go down that route. Most collectors favor bottle trades. Or you will often see people selling the bottle itself as a collectible (and maybe it just happens to come with a liquid in it). I'm not vouching for the legality of any of these actions.
Personally, I think you should keep it as something to pour for friends at special occasions, or even use it as an opportunity to learn more about whiskey yourself.
Find a local charity that runs a silent auction. (Although Florida might not be the optimum audience).
Buy a second one on your next JL F flight. Keep one as "invest", enjoy the second. This is how I do it with my rare Whisk(e)ys.
So you don't need to "regret" drinking it (anyway you never shall)
Alright, twist my arm, Ben I'll take it off your hands.
Store it properly. The occasion will present itself in time, as did the opportunity.
@Ben I’m curious about the logistics of transporting the bottle through the rest of the journey. Are you going to put in your check led bag?
Clickbait existential topic.
Frankly I would save it for a party with friends, something for the liquor cabinet, or give it a friend when they have a big achievement.
While liquor reselling has great margins, it is full of stress and well what ever value you make will likely be lost from the stress. Keep it, share it, and enjoy the memories from it.
Offer a glass when a friend is getting married, or their kids are engaged, a big promotion, a child on the way, or other such things.
Its a great whisky, keep it. If you dont like whisky, serve it to guests who will appreciate it. Will give you a lot more life value than just selling it online for a markup.
I'll buy it for $401.
AH! I'll buy it for $402! :)
Putting in a bid for $420.69 (for real)
Enjoy it with your hot buddies!
It's simply Un-American to want to buy and drink Non-American whisky, why would you not drink American whisky given that we invented whisky in America.
We have the best whisky, meats, and food full stop in this country and we don't need to grovel and eat outsiders' food.
Yup - pizza, tacos, chinese takeout....all great American foods.
Store it properly. The occasion will present itself in time, as did the opportunity.
I think the Scots would dispute the invention of whiskey being in America.
@Webby, Scots can think all they want, all the best things in the world are invented in America, if anything, the claims by other countries are just attempts and stealing income that should've been America's.
This is one of the craziest posts I've ever seen. You are correct if you are a Bourbon drinker. But if you prefer malt whisky, grain whisky, or blends (more commonly referred to as Scoth), there is hardly a single drinkable whisky made in the U.S. Japanese whisky (primarily blends) are far better than any American ones in this style.
Check out Catawiki, this kind of stuff gets sold at very high prices.
I will buy it
I have 2 bottles. I would be a willing seller if allowed in this forum.
Ben, I was in the same boat. I flew NH F a few weeks ago and got 2 bottles. I did a bit of digging, including delve into the "Japan Whiskey" scene. Here is what I have found:
- This is a special blend. It looks similar to the regular Harmony 100 year anniversary but it is way better than that. It is meant to be served in the best hotels and bars and...
Ben, I was in the same boat. I flew NH F a few weeks ago and got 2 bottles. I did a bit of digging, including delve into the "Japan Whiskey" scene. Here is what I have found:
- This is a special blend. It looks similar to the regular Harmony 100 year anniversary but it is way better than that. It is meant to be served in the best hotels and bars and not intended for widespread public sale. Giving F pax a chance to buy is mostly a halo effect. Price is meant to be 50000 yen but even vendors likely get it for a bit more so buying it is not an error.
- It does taste good, but 400 dollar good? That is up for debate. I am no drinker so having a glass of it on the flight gave me a headache, nothing more. The professionals mostly say it is quite nice, but their opinions vary on the value since most Japanese whiskey is kinda overpriced to begin with, especially special blends.
- This price is cheaper than many other special Hibiki because it has no year. It is said to have 17 year and older but there is added younger portion that forces Suntory to not be able to label it with a year. Not labelling with a year basically tanks any Japanese whiskey value.
- Reselling will be hard because there is very little market of collectors outside Japan and this specific blend is even less popular because there are so few of them out in circulation. (each bottle is labelled with QR code to prevent any bar to act as backstreet vendor in Japan.) So there is a tiny market for buying, or selling, this bottle. Most Japanese traders in Tokyo would buy it from you for about 600-800 dollars, and if you know anyone who is Japanese they can put it on their version of eBay and get more.
- What did I do? Well I just displayed one of the bottle and kept the other in storage. I do not think making 300 dollars is worth a hassle of hours of negotiation with maybe 1 or 2 buyers. Too small of a market that both sides have too much power in haggling.
If you sell it please please let me buy it! I've been a reader since 2010 and have a hibiki whisky collection. I've been trying to find a flight just to get this bottle with no luck (can only get certain days off work). I'm happy to pay the going rate.
Open, share, and enjoy.
I was tempted on my 4 JL F flights. But as the fine print says - you can't carry on to your connecting flight. Did not have room to stuff in my checked bag.
Although it is not offered on the 10 hour flight - HND to SYD, nor BKK to HND. Only on the USA flights.
Make it into a blog giveaway!!!
Great idea!
It's poison in a bottle. Sell it for a couple hundred dollar profit and run.
Good purchase Ben. Drink it ! You can polish that off in 4 evenings.
Why buy something you don’t intend on enjoying or sharing it with others who do? Reselling it for profit is just…..
This mindset is beyond me.
Warning! If you drink it or sell it, you will no longer have it.
Drink it with your friends on holiday, then recycle the bottle.
Is it really worth your time to try and work out how to do anything else. That’s time you could use earning money the way you know how to do it, playing with Miles or a hundred other more worthwhile activities.
The commenters saying it's the same as regular Hibiki are incorrect. They are thinking of the Hibiki Harmony series, which was just regular Hibiki in a fancy bottle.
This whiskey has a minimum of 17 years aged per the material I was provided. I had it appraised at $600-$800 by a London auction house. For that price I'm keeping both of my bottles.
Just hold onto it for years. I absolutely love whisky (Scotch and Japanese), and I wouldn't hesitate to buy this at that price, and I would've enjoyed every $28.57 glass / serving (cheaper than >$50 per glass / serving for Krug or something like that). Prices are just gonna keep going up anyway. Current potus caused whisky prices to skyrocket with tariffs in the late 2010s, so I don't expect that to change in this current iteration.
Empty bottles can be had for $50-100 on eBay. Buy one and pour the regular Hibiki and voila, you have the same thing for half the price.
Lucky, I bought this Hibiki whiskey a few times in the last 10-15 years at Narita airport duty free shops. It is a fine whiskey by Suntory, although the valuation is not necessarily guaranteed for all kinds of reasons. 12 years ago, Yamazaki (also under Suntory) single malt sherry mask whisky was crowned as the best whiskey in the world, beating out all Scotch whiskey, the price of that whiskey at Narita airport went up...
Lucky, I bought this Hibiki whiskey a few times in the last 10-15 years at Narita airport duty free shops. It is a fine whiskey by Suntory, although the valuation is not necessarily guaranteed for all kinds of reasons. 12 years ago, Yamazaki (also under Suntory) single malt sherry mask whisky was crowned as the best whiskey in the world, beating out all Scotch whiskey, the price of that whiskey at Narita airport went up 300% times in the next few years, but in recent years, the prices fell back to conform with the gravity.
Suntory Hibiki whiskey has been there for long time, and every a few years, they identify some occasions to make special packaging. I think your bottle is priced more for this centennial packaging reason, and Japanese are very good at it. But I seriously doubt over the time, you will realize any profit from it. Meanwhile it is a very fine whiskey by Suntory. I recommend to drink it in the next few years with your father or best friends.
You got the limited edition package version of the regular Suntory Hibiki non-age statement whisky. It looks to be going for $300-$500 online.
The one that's actually going for $5000 is the Suntory Hibiki 21 years old 100th Anniversary edition. The packaging looks similar so there are some people trying to sell the non-age statement version for the $5000 that the 21 years old one is going for.
If you're still in Japan,...
You got the limited edition package version of the regular Suntory Hibiki non-age statement whisky. It looks to be going for $300-$500 online.
The one that's actually going for $5000 is the Suntory Hibiki 21 years old 100th Anniversary edition. The packaging looks similar so there are some people trying to sell the non-age statement version for the $5000 that the 21 years old one is going for.
If you're still in Japan, I would just go take it to an alcohol reseller store like Liquor Off and sell it. The whisky itself in a regular edition bottle is available in the US for around $100 per bottle, so you probably could buy 3 regular bottles for the price of that one limited edition bottle you have.
Don't forget to declare it on your way back through Global Entry!
its under 800, no need
That’s incorrect.
How is that incorrect?
You presumably have enough money to not bother with reselling it for profit. Just find a time to enjoy it with other whiskey connoisseurs who will very much appreciate the opportunity
I would contact one of the auction houses that auction whiskey (like Sotheby’s) and get an estimate.
Let me know if you want to get it off your hands. Much love for Japanese whisky
On vacation, open bottle and simply enjoy.
Keep it for Miles and present it to him on his 21st birthday. Who knows what it's value would be by then, given its lineage?
This is a very good idea.
Best drunk with those who will enjoy it now. I still have a magnum of Krug in my cellar I brought 25yrs ago for my daughters birth. Unfortunately my wife went off drinking for a year post birth and now it just sits there as I gave up drinking 10yrs ago and I do not want to waste it on non champagne drinkers. hopefully when she get married we can open it.
Keep it for a special celebration!
Sell it. From what I've read, the booze is the same as a regular Hibiki which sells for under a $100. So you're just paying for fancy packaging
It is not; this is NOT the Harmony. It's a new "Anniversary" blend. The fault for this confusion is really on Suntory though for creating so many "100 year anniversary" things: one being a repackaged 21 year, one being this new blend, one being a repackaged Harmony, and probably others knowing Suntory...
So many people keep saying it's just repackaged Harmony and it's definitely not. But ya - Suntory with their 100th Harmony etc. just confusing things. But man, seeing the others with all the misinformation - frustrating.
Enjoy it and serve to guests! Will be a fun reminder of the flight.
“Do I… do something else?”
You do know drinking it is an option, right? Haha
I mean, you’re traveling with your husband and a couple friends on a nice ski vacation. Sounds like a great drink to share with them each evening after a day of skiing.
I’d love to take it off your hands, for a fair price of course!
Jeb, if he sells it to you, I’d hope to see a future video of it!
@Jeb
But The grass is greener
Should've bought a model aircraft too while you were at it, heh!
Contest for one of your readers to potentially win it! :p
Maybe you came make more money by selling your art pieces?…
I can send you my address :)
Maybe a raffle for all of us that have used OMAT credit card referral links?
Maybe keep it for a special occasion in the future, or list it on Facebook marketplace.