whisky review 380 - Hankey Bannister blended scotch

corn-rich old-school malt-thin blend which is easily overlooked for the quality of the corn content !
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[@unsn88]

I hesitated to try this one out for years ... but after finally having a taste of it I must say - this blend is shockingly good. 11EUR - regular price where I am. unbelievable quality/price ratio. thanks Ralfy.

[@4ll4nb31l]

Its true for the money its good value..84 is a very fair mark for this whisky.

[@budzogan]

I am missing these "low tier" blend reviews. It deserves new series.

[@Praetorr]

ralfy -- keep up the great work! i check your channel everyday, and i'm never disappointed. your honesty alone is second to none

[@annuvynarawn392]

thanks for doing some low end blended whisky reviews, please do more of the well known brands, I do partake of some single malts from time to time but I am a huge fan of blended Scotch Whisky and I do know how to taste and evaluate with my little Glencairn glass - but I mostly have a slug of whisky in a tumbler with whatever I feel like mixing with or without ice - trying this one out as soon as it arrives so you generated a sale ! Hi to all the whisky fans, I respect your choices and I hope you appreciate my preferences too

[@artturiarponen412]

Nice review, Ralfy. As a young whisky drinker (27yo) I believe I'm not the only for whom cheaper blended whiskies are reality among more expensive single malts, so it's nice to see you reviewing every day blends for a change again.

[@PoolsideCigarReviews]

What a fantastic idea! Off to the market for some fresh fruits and berries! 380 videos deep, and somehow Ralfy keeps it fresh. I never know where these reviews will go... could be cigars, prostate cancer, motorcycles, mezcal, or fruit preservation. Admirable and entertaining, my friend. Thank you!

[@Snikkari]

What a brilliant review .... I think that this brew is a perfect partner to this marvelous Whisky: Old Speckled Hen - as introduced by the Fox

[@VectraChrisC]

I found laphroaig quite refreshing during the Australian summer. Peat monsters are still enjoyable in the heat.

[@SmartFool24]

I have tried a lot more malts than I have blends. In fact I've only tried the JW line, Chivas, and J&B. I cant speak to the low quality blends but I have to say I wasnt a fan of Tomatin 12yo the one chance I had to taste it. I actually really enjoy JW Black, Green, Gold, Double Black because they have an excellent balance for an everyday drink for me. However, they like the other blends lack much character compared to malts. I love the various adventures you take with malts.

[@ArvindBiztaiwan]

Enjoying this blend in Taiwan now. Tastes fruity and Rum like. A little bit of water help it mellow down a bit. Good whisky for the price. Recommended!

[@Snikkari]

Nice review .. up ontin now I had tha feeling that I was tha weird one for loving this blend.

[@Malt454]

Yes, one of the benefits of many blends is that there's not really any feeling of obligation to "study" the experience or look for great complexity, because usually it just isn't there. Blends can be the equivalent of the no-brainer action film compared to the classic drama of a good single malt. Blends are a usual introduction to single malts - and many would agree single malts are a step up.

[@HoustonDram]

Hey Ralfy, bang up job on this review as we have all come to expect. I was curious if you were planning on doing a review of Ardmore. I have heard you reference it several times (not in this vlog) but I have been unable to find a review from you. I personally love the stuff, right up there with bunahaban and highland park! But it is literally 1/2 the price $25 for a 750mL bottle. Keep up the good work!

[@NormanMatchem]

Wicked! I hope to try out this whole 'Rumtopf' thing! What liquor though... I think I'm going to shoot for some Lamb's rum. Simple, common, fairly cheap. Not a huge fan of its taste, so a few weeks cuddled up to some raspberries, strawberries, oranges, grapes, etc. should end up being quite good. Ah, I dare say my friends and I would have a blast with it in a month or two! Eat the fruit with vanilla icecream, eh? Sounds amazing! Always fascinating to experience traditions of other cultures! :)

[@19dec1981]

just bought a bottle of HB, 1 liter for 10.30 euros / 9.10 pounds the alcohol taxes in my country are lower than UK :)

[@babarfyi]

Would be interesting to hear your view on the HB Heritage Blend (the re-creation of a 1920's blend). Very reasonably priced where I live (14GBP, appears to be a lot more in the UK).

[@pierce1717]

I just picked up a bottle of this today. I poured a glass and was shocked. This tastes EXACTLY like Johnnie Walker Black (12Y). Is it just me? It was so surprising. I love your reviews, keep up the awesome work.

[@foxsux6000]

Rinzler2342 They probably use the same casks process, and a lot of scotch companies try to make a scientifically pure/stable a product as possible and thus they're slowly all starting to become very similar with minor variations. Almost all scotch and bourbon is produced by people that studied chemistry and a lot of the modern process in taste is done through chemical analysis and market flavor research, thus the cheaper blends are really starting to become very good and up to a standard not possible 10 years ago.

[@kian765]

Picked up a bottle of Hankey Bannister Heritage Blend recently on special offer from RMW for £22.Really a very good quality and complex blend as well as being bottled at 46% you cant go wrong, if you see it buy some you wont be dissapointed.

[@SmartFool24]

Agreed, the blended I can enjoy as an alcoholic drink that taste good in the scotch way, single malts are an experience and something you just wont get from the blends.

[@SmartFool24]

contd,,, For me, a good blend is like staying at home and going to work and doing what you normally do and a good malt is like a nice long vacation from the norm and trying things you dont always get to. Also, I have to say, if it wasnt for blends, I never would have discovered malts and I think that goes for a lot of people.

[@philbushell1420]

This whiskey is fragrant. Very fragrant to the extent that it's flowery and chemical. Great to mix with coke after you've drunk enough to be drunk enough. Average at best. Ralfy, I'm surprised it slipped into your over 80 mark. In Aus it's appropriately priced at $28 AUD for a 750ml bottle - that's about €5 at the current exchange rate. ;-) actually about €19.50

[@NormanMatchem]

Got my first rumtopf started. Alberta Premium Rye Whisky with grapes, apples, oranges, and strawberries. Not a whole lot, but it's a decent start. Got a 1.14L (40oz) for $39.95. Good price for where I'm at, nice small batch to start out on, didn't add any sugar. We'll see how it is in, say, October. Perhaps pour some out on Halloween in almost 2 months time, if I can resist it until then :P

[@kubr1ck36]

Hey Ralfie! First of all, thank you so much for your insightful videos! What i wanted to ask you is if you could give your explanation as to why there is an unfair prejudice to blended whiskies. Thanks in advance!

[@j1bc]

Bought a bottle of this while visiting Balblair distillery last week. I had never heard of it and bought it as a novelty gift for a friend but decided to try it myself rather than open a "good bottle" on a friday night in my own. Tell you what, i am no expert but in my humble opinion i'd say this is possibly the most complex lovliest blend i have had certainly in recent years. Reminds me of a really good rum to be honest. I will be buying again and intend to try the 12 year old. Ps must try cream of the barley again. Not had that for years

[@ralfydotcom]

. . . a better blend from yester-year !

[@user-co7zi4yt9k]

Thank you, Ralfy!

[@alexk3088]

One would hope that the basic blends are around 6 years or more... But in the US aged spirits are required to state age if younger than 4, so JWRed and some other basic blends specifically state that they are 3 years old, in very fine, inconspicuous letters on the back or neck label. I'll have to check my bottle of HB for that. But it is 43%.

[@jussit3909]

I've tried the alcohol and fruits mix with vodka and cloudberries. I chose vodka because it was cheap and because it tastes fairly neutral and thus does not overpower the fairly fragnant flavour of the cloudberries. It worked out pretty well. However, bear in mind that the berries and fruits contain a lot of water, so if you use 40 % vodka, the result will not be 40 % liqueur. I did put some sugar in the mix - not much - but I think it'd be better without. Next time I might also use stronger vodka.

[@jussit3909]

Oh and thanks Ralfy for these great reviews and tips! I like your attitude. In my country blended whiskies are not appreciated at all. Even the basic malts (8-12 yo) are often regarded as low quality regular whiskies despite their high price. We have a lot to learn from you people that have centuries of experience in whiskies!

[@wmelgaard]

Hello Ralfy! I'm fond of Hankey Bannister I think it compares well with Black & White, Grant's, Dewars White Label, Vat 69, even Teacher's or Cutty Sark . It might be interesting to review some grand old brands of blended Scotch that are not so common in modern Britain. I know you have reviewed Haig, Black & White, Vat 69, what about reviewing Long John? I'm sure you'll know of some old favourites that now rather hard to find in the UK.

[@Malt454]

Good points. I enjoy JW products as well, though they are expensive for content. Many blends are, frankly, made from cheaper materials and are "blended toward the centre" in terms of taste - shying away from edgy notes in order to appeal to the widest possible audience. For all their occasional failings, single malts rarely try to be all things to all people - hence the adventures.

[@jlukest]

Ralfy, I'm working on my 3rd or so bottle of Monkey Shoulder and you did mention it in a group of blendeds. Would you ever plan to review this by itself? It's not too shabby...

[@JohnnyNorfolk]

Interesting review. We make sloe gin here in Norfolk. We pick the sloes in Sept.prick them all over and top up with gin for christmas. i will make some this year with whisky telling my friends that the idea came from a Scotsman.

[@thewutitizband]

Hi Ralfy.I'd be very curious of your opinion on "John Barr Red Label" scotch whiskey.Thanks greatly.

[@StevenCalwas]

Hmmm, the rumtopf method seems like a natural for tequilas/mezcals. How about some lemonquila? (Or would that be limónquila?) I love whiskies that have a licorice/anise seed nose. Anything I can add to a whiskey besides anise seeds or absinthe that would provide that? I find that absinthe, even in miniscule quantities, doesn't integrate very well, and I'm not sure I can find anise seeds.

[@spinycrayfish]

Nice liqueur idea! How about some tips on making your own whisky?

[@keithc187]

Saw it in a shop for the first time this week. Remembered Ralfy talking about its surprisingly low malt content, so I passed. I'd give the 12 yo a go though.

[@FadeDance]

Interesting!

[@chrisbruce2661]

thanks Bigjamook!

[@alexk3088]

If starting with a 40% spirit, I wonder if rumtopf ends up being around 35% or so, maybe even 30%.

[@themaltbar]

Hi Ralfy. We agree with you wholly!Scotch Burnout is real.At times even blends don't do it.That's when I go to my old faithfuls-Fine teas/Java.Tea & Coffees may not have that sort of devilish punch but sometimes its essential to give IT a break! Try eating Caviar every nite. Case in point! In fact Ralfy as nite falls I'm gonna spark up a Cohiba Esplendito and settle in for the evening w/a big cup of AAA Kona.That's living mate.We ALL must understand,life does not revolve around a Glencairn.

[@acrophobe]

just curious Ralfy, is real vanilla expensive in the UK? i was shopping for some vanilla beans a while ago in California, and it's basically tied with saffron for the most offensively expensive flavoring agent in the world. it's about $12 a bean in supermarkets here. i certainly love vanilla ice cream and full flavors, and i don't mind splurging for luxuries on occasion, but do you think this bean is worth the outrageous rates here? thanks.

[@JPM-Sniper]

Review southern comfort as A liquor. I drink it and like the sweet taste, Also like a single malt with a bit of a sweet taste.

[@robfut9954]

Finally tracked down a bottle of this after all these years (it’s rare where I am) and I saw potential in the flavor profile, but there’s a raw alcohol note like raw corn spirit on the back of it now. Everclear-like in finish. Otherwise it’s great for a basic blend, too bad about the finish and the rarity though.

[@SmartFool24]

Dont let others prejudice drive you from blends. I really enjoy single malts but I can still very much enjoy a glass of Johnnie Walker Black. Also, there probably wouldnt be so many options for single malts if there werent so many people that enjoyed the blends.

[@kalm1531]

Thank you ofr this review! I'd hope to see some Vodka review in the future. *wink*

[@NiceyNiceGuyMike]

Why are non-malt grains cheaper? Is it the grain costs? Is the column distillation process that much cheaper? Are non-malt grains have different maturation techniques?

[@johnlove5347]

Very good whiskey

[@MrTjbv]

I couldn't find where ralfy earlier reviewed it, so I'll put in a plug for it here--a Cooley Distillery product I've just discovered for myself called "John L. Sullivan The Ten Count" Irish whisky, named after The Champ himself. I'm a boxing fan but I don't think you have to be to enjoy this 92 proof 50% single malt & 50% single grain 10 year old. It's not the VERY best Irish I've sipped but it's very very good indeed, and not at all expensive. A drop of water opens it up nicely. Check it out!

[@PeatSmokey]

Ralfy good stuff. you might want to puncture the grapes with a pin to further the grape effect cheers

[@BarefootPipeSmoker]

The rumtopf sounds delightful. I'll have to search for recipes. I'm curious: have you tried Teacher's blended scotch? I can usually find it for $20 US, and it has become one of my favorite blended whiskys.

[@PutinosauRUS]

Teacher's is great budget scotch. I think it's better than HB original.

[@keithc187]

If it says "Perfection of Old" on the label it's decent, the newer versions are inferior.

[@chrisbruce2661]

Ralfy, what is the story with the 3 legged wall hanging? I know I am a dumb Aussie but I am sure there are many fans of your videos like me who have noticed it. P.s. have you had a chance to review Nant whiskey from Tassie?

[@tweezerjam]

Can’t help but think of Mr Hanky 💩 fitting since it’s Christmas eve 😂

[@minniesarse]

Take a look at whisky review 47 for recommended blends

[@mr2gordons940]

Ralfy, you might have covered this already, but it occurred to me that when you say about an age statement in a blend refers to the "minimum age of ALL whiskies in the blend", it likely does not include the grain whiskies involved. Haven't heard it declared that those age statements apply only to the single malts but have made that assumption. Can you clarify?

[@ralfydotcom]

age statement applies to ALL whisky component spirits

[@PeatSmokey]

here's a little anecdote for the maltmates. If you accidentally or unwittingly glide past the "amber glow" settle down, close your eyes for 25minutes. & like magic, you shall awake on the near side of "the glow". You probably know this little trick Ralfy but for me, happy to help any maltmate from potential disaster. Peace

[@SpydieFan]

In General I'm a single malt drinker, this summer I've basically switched to Cocktails and Light Wines

[@fuckinick]

Hi Ralfy, You could still place the banana in a cheesecloth. Cheers, Tanil

[@smartass23t]

Great vid but I've had enough blends...all the ones I've tried are blah, borings...is there one you could recommend Ralphy? Or maybe make a video with your top three unaltered MUST TRY BLENDS. lol. Maybe for the people who have gone exclusive to single malts because they find blends uninteresting.

[@Sheriff_GrimLaw]

It's the Isle of Man triskelion, from the flag. Ralfy lives there. x

[@TasteThePainbow88]

When I glanced at the thumbnail I thought Ralfy was reviewing a big bottle of Olde English malt liquor xD

[@spinycrayfish]

Any advice could be considered theoretical, or an historical account of how it was done before commercial scale production. ;)

[@spinycrayfish]

I don't think I'm mad :) In a world of 15 minute attention spans and free internet content, buying and reading several books sounds like too much effort. It could add some variety to the series to see how it's made (ingredients, process, etc.), much like the few asides Ralfy has already done on glasses, decanters, nosing, tasting notes, cigars, etc.

[@RadioLaboratory]

Ralfy, hey. With all of th flac I'm see'n here on th comment forum re. choices of bland Blends, it may b useful, helpful if not necessary 2 revu sum of th mor availabl Vatted Malts 4 therein lie th mor complex blending validated by yor suggestions of us blendin SMS's. Better to explore than2 profess. cheers

[@wtfbluestrife]

can you do a review for Snow Grouce?. I've read it's best served straight from the freezer and has a strong vanilla fudge flavor. but I'd like to here it from a reliable source before I spend 40 dollars in shipping. thank you

[@krisverding3908]

I tried that experiment about a year ago, but i didn't like the outcome of the fruity whisky .

[@Cypeq]

I am sorry but Ralphy did covered all parts of production process few times already. Maybe you weren't paying attention. I'm pretty sure that "world attention spans" are somewhere between 3-5 minutes.

[@Malt454]

But is the prejudice really unfair? Most blends don't seem to aspire to anything close to 90 without significant age (and price) on them, and a large number of the cheap ones don't even aspire to be served neat. Blends are a different product from single malts but, by and large, they are also a cheaper product made from cheaper materials (and NAS-labelled single malts are going in the same direction). While overall quality remains debateable, profit margins are increasing.

[@miserablerhurensohn]

Now I want to do one with JUST bananas.

[@TheJesusNacho]

Oi wallace, eim yer uncle argyle!

[@StrafingMoose]

when I want to give my nose and tastebuds a slack, I'll mix a margarita with some 100% agave tequilla reposado or a whiskey sour with some cheap, yet pleasant bourbon. Would not pay for blendeds...

[@kubr1ck36]

Type "recommended blends" in the youtube search bar

[@Malt454]

I think you've it on the head - many see it as too much effort, but somehow it's not unreasonable to ask someone else to do much more so the others can essentially do nothing. There is a lot of free internet content, including content that covers precisely the topic in question - the real problem might be laziness and 15-minute attention spans.

[@liljnnaps1]

What a bloody know it all....just kidding.

[@zlotvorx]

Did you tried it in 2019? It's a garbage! At least in Croatia.

[@deadmansfire]

Probably exporting different product under the name. I've heard that even the Red Label is different outside of Uk. Haven't tried this HB but it's amazingly cheap(8 euros in Bulgaria) so don't really trust it

[@alexk3088]

@@deadmansfire don't forget counterfeiting in some areas. Unlike faking a single expensive bottle, in some countries there are criminal gangs mass producing cheap knockoff liquor. Awful taste is perhaps the least of concern, can be outright dangerous.

[@cman624]

@@alexk3088 yeah true someone went blind drinking fake Jack daniels

[@alexk3088]

@@cman624 people go blind or otherwise poison themselves with bootleg liquor under fake labels in lawless places. It is far more frequently vodka than whisky, but it could be whatever people drink - usually hard liquor. A basic blend may be for mixing and not nuanced but I doubt it's "garbage" unless it's fake.

[@Cypeq]

tips on making whisky ? you mad ? It's complex process you can't just give tips and all will be fine. Buy a fuckin book about beer brewing, than about distilation process. Than prepare to spend minimum of few thousands of dollars.