Three barrelled Imperial of similar age


March 5, 2026

Three barrelled Imperial of similar age

Despite its grand-sounding name, Imperial has never struck me as a particularly important, or indeed imperial, malt, despite a few very great ones here and there. Sadly the distilery,was demolished and replaced with Dalmunach. But perhaps our perception will change today…

Imperial 27 yo 1998/2025 (42.2%, Living Souls, refill bourbon barrel)

Colour: gold. Nose: an avalanche of jellybeans, then banana wine and pineapple juice. Behind this very fruity arrival, some very fine green teas, cold brew of course. Magnificent notes of lime blossom infusion. Mouth: very fine oak, delicate, on balsa wood, followed by dandelion jelly, camomile and quince. This is a very slow malt, it simply keeps developing over the minutes, on very gentle spices and numerous herbal infusions, one after the other. Finish: not especially long but beautifully balanced, very much on herbal teas and dried fruits. Touches of lemon balm. Comments: it murmurs and it whispers, it is discreet, yet it is very, very elegant. Lemongrass in the aftertaste.
SGP:441 - 86 points.

Imperial 26 yo 1998/2025 (44.4%, Whiskyland, Decadent Drinks, refill barrel, 134 bottles)

I have a vague feeling that we are heading towards similar territories… Colour: pale gold. Nose: it is virtually the same whisky, gentle, fresh, elegant, discreet, almost shy. Little fruit sweets and floral and pectoral herbal infusions. Mouth: frankly, it is the same again, just a shade more nervous, but consequently a little less, say grand siècle. Finish: not especially long, with a light sweet pepper, then rather subdued dried fruits and a touch of earth. Comments: casks that are not tired, but which may perhaps already have said all that they had to tell us.
SGP:441 - 86 points.

Imperial 27 yo 1998/2025 (53%, Whisky Picnic Bar, bourbon barrel, cask #9, 120 bottles)

Colour: pale gold. Nose: we are obviously in the same territories, it is just a shade more mentholated, closer to fruit peelings and herbal infusions. With water: herbal teas in abundance, but rather little energy. Mouth (neat): very good now, fruity, peppery, but a little dry. Fewer sweets, more herbal teas and infusions. With water: even more herbal teas and teas. Finish: medium, lovely notes of ripe bananas. Comments: we have strictly no reason to score this cask, most certainly from the same batch, differently, even if there is a little more grip. And grip is important, as they say in the Himalayas (S., come on).
SGP:441 - 86 points.

I’m not sure this was the most important tasting session we’ve ever held, but life is made up of small things, as poor Benjamin Franklin once said (good heavens, what a legacy!).

Check the index of all Imperial we've tasted