Hankey Bannister Regency 12 Years Review


“Sir Winston Liked It”

Whisky Review # 625

Country: Scotland
Brand: Hankey Bannister Regency
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 40%
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon Casks   
Chill Filtration: Yes
Price Range: US$ 30-40 (July 2017) 
Buying Advice: 😐 Neutral. Reasonable Blend if priced at +/- US$ 30.

Colour: Golden Amber (Artificially Coloured) 

Nose: Light but certainly not unpleasant. The Grain Alcohol is of course quite present. I can't say that the Aromas are jumping out of the glass. You will need some patience with the Regency. After a while I find Toasted Cereals, Buttered Toast, Caramel, Brown Sugar, Dusty Straw, Heather-Honey, Vanilla, Nutella, Dried Fruit, Caffe Latte, Orange Peel, Fresh Coriander, Cinnamon, light Pepper, light Ginger, Apple and a hint of Tinned Pineapple in Syrup.

Knockdhu

Palate: Light but acceptable. This should have been bottled at 43%. This Blend deserves that. The Grain Alcohol is there but not at all in an aggressive way. I find Toasted Cereals, Toasted Oak, lightly Buttered Toast, Dusty Straw, Vanilla, Caramel, Toffee, Dried Fruit, Orange-Peel, Nutella, Heather-Honey, Apple, Caffe Latte, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger and perhaps the faintest whiff of Smoke.   

Finish: Medium Long. Sweet and Spicy at first. Dry in the end when a light Bitterness pops up. I find Grain Alcohol, Toasted Cereals, Refill Oak, Caramel, Vanilla, Toffee, Treacle, Sultanas, Heather-Honey, light Lemon and Orange Peel, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Milk Chocolate-covered Nuts and the faintest hint of Smoke.

Balblair

Drinking Advice:
I only Nosed and Tasted this Hankey Bannister neat as I merely had a very small sample at my disposal. It's certainly drinkable neat and I suspect it will do nicely over Ice as well.

Rating: 82     

Nose: 21 - Taste: 20.5  - Finish: 20 - Overall: 20.5


General Remarks:

Hankey Bannister & Co was founded in 1757 by Beaumont Hankey and Hugh Bannister. Winston Churchill was a fan of this Whisky. Currently, the Blend is owned by Inver House Distillers (Thai Beverage PLC). Next to the 12 Tear Old Regency, the range also includes the NAS HB Original and the 21, 25 and 40 Years. The Regency is made with 70% Grain Whiskies (Mainly North British and Port Dundas) and 30% Malt Whisky. The Balblair distillery forms the heart and additional Malts are, amongst others, sourced from Knockdhu, Balmenach and perhaps a touch of Old Pulteney as they are all owned by Inver House. The 12 Year old Regency matures in Ex-Bourbon casks and presents a reasonable Price Quality ratio. 

Drinking Experience: Good.

Conclusion:

The Hankey Bannister Regency is certainly better than your average Scottish Blend. There are no real off-notes. The Grain is there but it doesn't quite punch you in the face like in most Bottom-Shelf blends. The casks are slightly better as well and I suspect a mix of 2nd and 3rd Refill Ex-Bourbon casks. It could surely do with a higher ABV. So while the Hankey Bannister Regency is not at all a bad Blend, it's also utterly forgettable. After five minutes or so, you will have some difficulties in remembering it if you get my drift. It's a drinking Whisky, not a Sipping Whisky. You can safely buy it at around 30 US Dollars though as it will not disappoint you at this price level.  

Jan van den Ende                                                                       July 15, 2017

Balmenach

2 comments:

AB said...

Can't get that in Memphis TN I'm afraid, not even the original. Shame, I'm always on the lookout for the good (or decent), cheaper whiskies, and I know you can get it pretty cheap in other cities in the US. Just found your blog, I like it a lot. Plus I've got a soft spot for Dutchies, as I'm married to one!

Jan van den Ende said...

Hi Aaron, thanks for commenting! Congratulations on your marriage! Good Choice indeed (LOL)! I'm very glad you like the blog! The Hankey Bannister is indeed good value for money! Pity you can't get it in Memphis! All the Best for you and your spouse! Cheers, Jan.