Hankey Bannister Time round 2 : the 25 year old

We’re moving up the Hankey Bannister core line after the Original and 12, we’re visiting the 25 year old, but before that, a bit of a history lesson, and information about the name, people and history behind HB…

Currently the HB brand is owned by Inverhouse distillers (the same guys who own Balblair,Old Pultney, AnCnoc, Speyburn), but originally it was founded in 1757 by two gentleman by the names of Beaumont Hankey and Hugh Bannister – hence the name. The company was first located at Johns Street in London’s West End, and in  1785 the cellars moved to Adelphi Arches under Adelphi Terrace, where they remained until 1936 (the year the arches were demolished). That year the entire stocks were moved to Southwark near the old Glove theatre. HB was a favourite of some well known figures in the 19 and 20th century such as Prince Regent William IV and the Dukes of Norfolk and Queensberry, as well as war-time Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill and British writer Evelyn Waugh.

Now, back to some good old tasting notes, of the 25 year old. shall we?

Hankey Bannister 25 year old, 40% abv

Nose:  Certainly a notch up, much more refined and certainly more malty than grainy, rich with dried fruit, caramel and fudge, as well as vanilla and overripe oranges and some zest to balance the sweetness. I like this nose. good stuff.

Palate: Starts less sweet than the nose with malty and woody notes, then off to grapefruit pith, and bouncing back into sweeter mouth-watering flavours of dried fruit and nuts, with a hint of wood spice. very relaxed and very more-ish, Balance is the key word here, and balanced it is. a very pleasant and appealing blend for sure, with a twist of peppery sharpness at the very end.

Finish: some tannins and wood, in a medium sweet, finish, and coconut.

Conclusion:

Certainly a few notches up from the basic two expressions, offering a more refined and balanced package. I could not locate a bottle of this on most online whisky retailers for some reason, not even on the HB site… I bet it would make a very good gift for a whisky lover who appreciates good blending and a classy decanter.