Fortuitous times

Hankey Bannister & Co. was soon well known in London and its reputation spread throughout the world in the 1800s.

I can say lady luck often plays a part in any success story. As we developed Hankey Bannister, the fashion for all things Scottish was just taking off, with our good Queen Victoria captivated by our cousins in Northern Britain and setting a trend for the tartan and the whisky.

Another great boon for us was the liberalising of whisky production by the Excise Act in 1823. Restrictions on production were lifted and Duty reduced. This meant the end of illegal distilling and smuggling and laid the foundations of today’s whisky industry. As the whisky industry expanded, so Hankey Bannister prospered too.

Another fortuitous event was the reduction in availability of port from France, which had always had been a favourite drink in high society circles. When their spirit of choice became whisky, Hankey Bannister was already becoming established as a high quality flavoursome blend of choice.

Soon there was only one whisky on everyone’s lips – Hankey Bannister!