Quite Some Imperials


July 8, 2024

Quite Some Imperials

Perhaps a little, perhaps a lot, we'll see... Because this is Whiskyfun, isn't it?

Remains of Imperial Distillery in 2011 (Andrew Wood, geograph). It was demolished in 2013 and replaced with Dalmunach Distillery two years later.

Imperial 22 yo 1995/2018 (43.3%, Elixir Distillers ‘Single Malts of Scotland’, cask #5410, barrel, 202 bottles)

I can't tell you why I haven't tasted this Imperial yet. Perhaps because, at the time, we had too much of it? Colour: straw. Nose: waxy like Clynelish, fruity like Inchgower, austere and herbal like Glendullan. Quite a bit of candle wax, ripe apples, fresh nuts, hay and plums. Mouth: much fruitier, it's a real fruit salad with a bit of honey and cane syrup. Pears, plums, apples, grape berries, etc. Simple, effective, pleasant. Finish: medium length, sweet cider, barley eau de vie and pear juice. Almost a sweet aftertaste. Comments: it goes down very well, perhaps too well, but it's very good.
SGP:641 - 86 points.

Imperial 20 yo 1995/2016 (50%, Signatory Vintage, Un-Chillfiltered Collection, Cask Strength, Maxi Vins Luxembourg, hogshead, cask #50192, 284 bottles)

Luxembourg, tiny country, great people. Colour: pale gold. Nose: entirely on fresh fruits, apples, cherries, pears and plums. In the background, icing sugar and a hint of cheesecake, which we’re not too accustomed to in our latitudes. With water: back to sweet and wholesome barley. Mouth (neat): good, very fruity, apples, pears, touches of white pepper and again icing sugar. With water: all sorts of Haribo sweets or other multinational companies’ confections designed to keep us addicted to sugar. It’s good, it’s regressive, it’s childlike, it’s unstoppable. Finish: quite long. Canned peaches. Comments: has anyone ever considered creating a 'Republican Distillery'? Very good Imperial, in any case, super easy.
SGP:651 - 87 points.

Imperial 27 yo 1995/2023 (50.4%, Silver Seal, LMDW New Vibrations, cask #1022, 160 bottles)

This one straight from Formigine, via Paris. What could go wrong? Colour: copper amber. Nose: old-school sherry, walnut wine, old copper indeed (coins, kettle), dried figs, peonies, old tools, stewed tangerines and peaches, sultanas… With water: an old cigar humidor, very well taken care of. Mouth (neat): very good, with a woodiness leaning towards Cuban cigars and spices, fatty ham, mutton suet, sage, black olives, cumin… It’s like a Moroccan tagine. With water: slightly astringent and woody, but the cigar and pipe tobacco notes work very well. Finish: long, woody, on teas and tobaccos. Comments: there’s a somewhat extreme tobacco element, but as the owner is a great pipe smoker, this is not surprising. Love you xxx.
SGP:572 - 87 points.

Imperial 1979 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail, Licensed bottling, 1995)

Of course, we've tasted it before, but we've never written a tasting note, it seems to me. At 40% vol., has it survived? Colour: gold. Nose: nicely malty, light, on toast and cereals. At 40% vol., it’s really, or rather it was, a breakfast malt. Touches of stout, Guinness, Nescafé, roasted pear… It’s ‘pretty’. Mouth: very good, it has benefited from these years in the glass, developing a slightly smoky side and lots of dried fruits, dates, sultanas, bananas… There’s also a rather superb earthy aspect. A perfect example of a whisky that has benefited from bottle ageing, naturally more pronounced in whiskies bottled at 40%. Finish: magnificent touches of pear liqueur. Comments: I admit to being surprised. These old G&Ms at 40% often offer quite impressive comebacks, as if they’ve taken Viagra (oh no, S., please). Go on, re-taste the old Avonsides, or the Highland Fusiliers, and we’ll talk about it again…
SGP:561 - 88 points.

Imperial 23 yo 1998/2022 (49.1%, Whisky Concerto x Le Sens, cask #100807, 160 bottles)

Colour: white wine. Nose: white peach and mirabelles. Let's be honest, it smells like Balvenie. It’s fresh, simple, elegant, very much about the barley, natural vanilla, and yellow flowers that bees love. Could it be Balvenie? Mouth: absolutely excellent, ultra-fruity but without the slightest vulgarity. Mirabelles are often mentioned, but here, they are the MIRABELLES! And quince is not far off. Finish: long and rich, but elegant, with fresh mirabelles, canned mirabelles, mirabelle eau-de-vie, mirabelle jam and... you get the idea. Comments: amazing, what a marvel. Well done Mr Concerto.
SGP:651 - 91 points.

Things are looking good, so let's keep going a bit longer...

Imperial 30 yo 1990/2020 (44.5%, The Single Malts of Scotland, for Germany, bourbon barrel, cask #1051, 144 bottles)

We have a good feeling here, especially knowing that TSMOS love Imperial… Colour: gold. Nose: hints of banana peel, overripe apples, limestone, very ripe gooseberries, white peaches... It’s quite lovely, though it doesn’t quite compare to a Beethoven symphony, if you catch my drift. I suppose it’ll play out on our palate... Mouth: flash! Indeed, now we get apples, bananas, papayas, even guavas starting to show themselves. Very pretty herbal teas, avocado juice (if you’ve never tasted avocado juice on a beach in Bali, you’ve never truly lived), chamomile, and a touch of bitter tobacco... Finish: long, even more bitter. Comments: forget the bit about Bali, that’s very personal. Adorable Imperial, but it was starting to flirt with the boundaries, if you know what I mean.
SGP:461 - 88 points.

Imperial 26 yo 1996/2022 (51.5%, The Whisky Show, casks #1053+1189)

A thing about UV and QR codes on the label, if I recall correctly. It’s crazy how these 'technological' gimmicks already feel like they're from the 20th century. Honestly, you’re outdated before you even put your 'innovative' idea into practice. Even in London. Colour: pale gold. Nose: pleasant, apples, plums, pears, green tea. Something for Carly Simon – mind you, she’s 81! With water: malt, barley, apple, brioche. Mouth (neat): ah, very good now, simple but solid, on apples, lemons, pears, and plums. With water: yes, it’s very good. Finish: barley, green apples, plums. Comments: pleasant, it’s a nice whisky, very nice, but really quite nice.
SGP:551 - 86 points.

Imperial 21 yo 1995/2016 (48.9%, The Maltman, bourbon, cask #20155, 298 bottles)

Trying this for glory, really. Colour: pale gold. Nose: apple pie, manzanilla, vin jaune, mustard, light curry, walnuts... Wait, is this really a bourbon cask? Very, very lovely nose, please pass me the oysters and langoustines, perhaps even pil-pil prawns. Mouth: seriously, can we check the papers? Is this really just a simple bourbon cask? (Just kidding, we love bourbon barrels). Anyway, this fermentary and mineral side is quite perfect. Finish: long, perfect. It’s like a well-matured amontillado. Comments: didn’t see that coming and boom, a winner. Remains to be seen where these manzanilla and vin jaune notes are coming from. Mr Maltman?
SGP:462 - 89 points.

Imperial 17 yo 1995/2012 (50%, Douglas Laing, Old Malt cask, refill hogshead, cask ref #8474, 148 bottles)

One of the last Old Malt Cask by Douglas Laing, before the brand was transferred to Hunter Laing. Colour: straw. Nose: nothing much to say, herbal teas, chamomile, cut hay, barley, overripe apples... It’s nice, fresh, pleasant, just a bit ordinary. With water: a bit of wax, but it gets a bit boring. Mouth (neat): very good, malty, with fresh fruits and some herbs. I’ll say it, it’s like Blair Athol. With water: it’s okay, it’s good, it’s typically an 83/84/85 for us. We’re talking points. Finish: medium. We’re falling asleep. Comments: honestly, it’s good but of very average interest.
SGP: 451 - 82 points.

Well, if this doesn't wake us up...

Imperial 29 yo 1990/2019 (55.3%, The Single Malts of Scotland, barrel, cask #934, 160 bottles)

Colour: pale gold. Nose: apples, peaches, apricots, fresh croissants, and sourdough bread. With water: more on the herbal side, with a bit of salad, lettuce, rocket... Mouth (neat): fresher, fruity, oily, waxy, with a hint of Clynelish, but far from Clynelish's class. With water: it’s good, but it lacks a bit of body. Apple, honey, pear, plums, you know, nothing to write home about. Finish: it’s okay. Comments: we're quite bored, but we chose to taste so much Imperial, our fault, very good whisky...
SGP:551 - 85 points.

Right, we'll speed up again... This should do it...

Imperial 30 yo 1989/2019 (43.3%, The Single Malts of Scotland, for the USA, bourbon barrel, cask #382, 172 bottles)

I think the idea of sending bourbon barrels back to the USA is just brilliant. Love the USA. Colour: white wine. Nose: meh. Some mild beer, apple juice, green tea... Nothing to get excited about. Mouth: it's good but lacks substance. Cider, beeswax, barley syrup. Meh. Finish: a little meh, so-so. Comments: actually, it's very good, it's just rather a little dull. Our fault.
SGP:551 - 85 points.

We still have a lot left, but I promise that if the next one isn't a bit more motivating, we'll call it quits. We're not masochists.

Imperial 29 yo 1991/2020 (45.7%, The Single Malts of Scotland, barrel, cask #280, 194 bottles)

Colour: pale gold. Nose: yes, it speaks more clearly, with apple and plum juices, a hint of ham, and dried fruits like longans and jujubes. The aromas remain, however, quite moderate. Mouth: nothing to fault, it’s good, with honey and orchard fruits, plums for example. Finish: medium and somewhat undefined. Fruits and herbs. But it’s much better in the aftertaste, more tense and fresh. Cider apples. Comments: I think we’ve lost ourselves a wee bit.
SGP:451 - 86 points.

We shouldn't be tasting so many Imperials in a row, nor any other somewhat 'greatly average' malts for that matter (not at all in the bad sense of 'average'). Lesson learned (of course, of course...). We ought to taste many more Imperials in the coming weeks.

(Thank you Tim and Tom)

Check the index of all Imperial we've tasted so far