Hiram Walker Creme de Banana
About Hiram Walker Creme de Banana
Hiram Walker Creme de Banana is produced by Hiram Walker & Sons – an Ontario, Canada based spirits brand most famous for their whisky. Founded in the mid 1800s by Hiram Walker, it remained family owned until 1926. It is currently owned by parent company Pernod Ricard.
Although they don’t disclose detailed information about production of their liqueurs, they do advertise “all natural” flavors. This particular bottle of Creme de Banana offers a flavor of ripe banana.
Bottle Specs
❖ ABV: 15%
❖ Distillery: Hiram Walker & Sons Distillery
❖ Aging: N/A
❖ Price Point: low price
My Tasting notes
The nose notes of this liqueur had clear banana scent, with a sense of creaminess, and sweetness in the background.
I took my first sip, and it was pretty sweet. The banana flavor had more of a smooth and creamy quality, as opposed to a sharp and tangy version of the fruit. As a sweet tooth, I found the sweetness level to be just right, though I get the sense that people who are sensitive to sweetness might find it a bit much.
Cocktail
Parasol
❖ 2 oz white rum
❖3/4 oz banana liqueur
❖3/4 oz lime juice
❖1/2 oz pineapple juice
❖ garnish: grated nutmeg
1. Add the ingredients to a shaker with ice, and shake until chilled.
2. Strain the mixture into a small glass.
3. Garnish with grated nutmeg.
My cocktail experience this time around was a bit mixed. Unfortunately, I had run out of white rum earlier in the week, and had to quickly pick up a bottle that I had not tried before (review coming soon!). And, at the end of the day, I feel the Parasol cocktail really suffered from this rum choice. So much so that I had to really push past my disgust in order to pinpoint and judge the flavors of the creme de banana.
That said, I feel this banana liqueur held its own pretty nicely, despite the small amount that is included in the recipe. It’s greatest strength is its consistency, offering sweet and tasty banana flavor in the background of each sip.
Bottom Line
RATING: 4/5
Overall, I feel that Hiram Walker Creme de Banana is a solid choice for banana liqueurs in the low price range, exceeding my very low expectations by a lot. To be perfectly honest, when I picked this bottle up off the store shelf, I expected it to be almost undrinkable. I’m pretty sure I spent 10 extra minutes re-reading every label in the section to make sure I hadn’t missed any alternative choices in stock.
To my surprise, Hiram Walker actually makes a very nice addition to cocktails. It’s smooth, sweet, consistent, and really lets the main spirit in the drink take the spotlight. If you’re looking for a good budget banana liqueur, I recommend trying out Hiram Walker Creme de Banana for yourself.
As always, drink responsibly.
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