It was little more than a month after their big SPL arrival in the Highland capital, the Inverness team were right up for this one prior to kick-off.
However, Tony Mowbray's Hibs team started the brighter and looked lively on either flank.
The Edinburgh club attracted more than 1,000 noisy fans north to add to the occasion.
Gary Caldwell earned himself an early caution when he was carded for pulling down Juanjo as he stole a march on him. He responded moments later when he fired a 25-yarder past Mark Brown's post and then Roy McBain drove a similar effort wide.
Although the Hibees looked sharper than their hosts on the attack, stout defending from Inverness was keeping them at bay, with skipper Stuart Golabek in particular never shirking from a challenge. Home fans will be delighted that he has signed up to the club for another three years.
McBain again showed he's a threat from distance when he was set up by Ross Tokely, but the shot whizzed wide.
Derek Riordan accepted Antonio Murphy's short pass and, using little space, managed to shoot, but the ball flashed wide.
Golabek came close to sensationally scoring when he linked up with Russell Duncan on 33 minutes, but a great save from Simon Brown denied him from bagging his third SPL goal.
However, Craig Brewster's boys were in front five minutes later when Juanjo gathered the ball in the box from a Barry Wilson delivery, he outpaced two markers before bulleting the ball high past keeper Brown into the net.
That brought the freezing home fans to life and they celebrated a surprise scoreline. And that was the half-time score, as Inverness finished strongly.
And it got better on 52 minutes when Brewster lashed a wonderful free-kick round the wall and into the net after Ian Murray was booked for a trip on the advancing McBain.
They continued to create and a searing Wilson run ended when Brewster's shot dipped over the bar on 68 minutes.
Things just got better on 77 minutes when Wilson swerved a 25-yard set-piece in off the inside of the post.