Hankey Bannister 40 year v Coilltean 1965 41 year Samaroli

[lincoln imp]

I am about 3/4 of my through 40 odd aged/premium blends H2H and this was great battle between these two aged blends.
The Hankey Bannister is my sort of blend refined & elegant, the Coilltean Samaroli is a work of whisky art almost, if it had been sweeter it would have been perfect.
The Hankey Bannister is for me one of the finest examples of the blenders art you can get, it is that good but the Samaroli had a little more flavour and tasted like the best aged single malts you can get.
Symphony in a whisky glass, 2 belters that utterly blow out the water and dispel the myth that blends cannot match single malts for depth of profile that the best single malts have, it certainly has just as good, if not better balance.
It is a slow symphony of flavours, like a well oiled string section of an orchestra.
Excellent, almost 92 points all round.
Just tried this against Samaroli Coilltean 1965 41 year 38788, almost a tie, but the samaroli just gets the nod.

Tasting notes

Hankey Bannister 40 year 2013 44.3%

I use the same scoring regime for blends and malts and while this has not got the depth of profile that the best single malts have it certainly has just as good, if not better balance.
It is a slow symphony of flavours, like a well oiled string section of an orchestra.
Excellent, almost 92 points all round.
Just tried this against Samaroli Coilltean 1965 41 year 38788, almost a tie, but the samaroli just gets the nod.

Nose
91
Well what I can say first off is that this is very refined nose, no negative aromas, nothing singularly shouts out to you so the good balance will hopefully translate to the palate, fingers crossed.
There is rich plain chocolate, blackberry, some sweet smoke, date, fruitcake and something lighter that reminds me of Martell brandy perhaps.
More so than many single malts I have tried, if you put a lid on the glass and nose immediately everything I have mentioned is increased intensity until the air gets to it.
A very nice nose.

Taste
92
Big spice attack at first that tickles your tongue, burnt orange and a slight wood note but the balance is really good.
Ever so faint coffee, dark treacle, but some sweeter fruit comes in, burnt brown sugar on top of a creme Brule

Finish
92
Not the longest and certainly not the sweetness, only now do I detect some peat in amongst the spice, it fades into the distance, nothing out of place.

Coilltean 1965 41 year 45% Samaroli

If this was a little sweeter it would get a higher score but that being said the wood has not spoiled because of the quality of the blend, sublime stuff with a greater depth of profile than many aged , quality, single malts
This is a heavily sherried blend bomb.

I need to re taste Hankey Bannister 40 year 56970, that preceded this one, this may beat that one which was also excellent with a 92 points, I think this one just shades the HB..
This must have a very high malt content. I would love to know the % of grain in this wonder blend.

Nose
93
The obvious heavy sherry is there mainly with blueberry and blackberry at first., there is also peat in the mix.
This reeks of age, treacle, hints of orange, you would never guess that this is a blend, this hints at a huge depth of profile, I just hope this translates to the palate, if it does then there will be a big score here?

Taste
93
Good delivery for sure but it was always going to be a big ask to follow such a good nose.
Silky smooth but there is some obvious wood in the mix that invades a little, shame.
The flavours are lip smacking and succulent, juicy, about as juicy as a whisky can get.
Blackberry,blackcurrant, caramel, hints of red currant and it is stewed for centuries by the taste of this one, lovely stuff

Finish
92
Long, lingering, leaving a rich coating over your tongue
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Pour me a glass please.

[Quaich1]

Quite an interesting dyad of whiskies. I haven't had the pleasure of either but your notes bring the moments alive. Cheers.
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"Always carry a large flagon of whisky in case of snakebite and furthermore always carry a small snake."
W.C. Fields (1880-1946)