Scotland, Speyside: Single malt whisky through the producing distilleries: history, making, production and tasting notes

Texte Français

Imperial

Description of the whisky

The distillery

Imperial distillery
Imperial Distillery
Carron
Morayshire
AB34 7QP
+44 1340 810 276
Owner: Pernod-Ricard
Creation date1897

photos

The Imperial distillery has been founded in the year of the diamond jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1897 by Thomas MacKenzie, who was share holder of Talisker and Dailuaine.
At the death of its founder in 1915, a group of customers (James Buchanan, John Dewar and John Walker) took over the distillery, before creating an association ten years later, under the name of Distillers Company Ltd.
Reopened in 1919 after World War I, the distillery had to close again during long years, between 1925 and 1955, but the malting floors remained in use.
The distillery has been rebuild in 1960, and doubled its production capacity in 1965.
It became ownership of Allied Distillers in 1985. The Imperial distillery is in activity again since 1989. It's single malt is exclusively available at independent bottlers. Gordon & MacPhail offers a vintage edition.
The production is intended to the blending industry, specially for Teachers, Long John, Ballantine's and Old Smuggler.

 Imperial: independant bottlings
 

Imperial

Gordon & MacPhail, 1990
Collection
 Gordon & MacPhail
Age
 10 years
Alcohol percentage
 40,0 %
Bottler
 Gordon & MacPhail
=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 77/100
 
 The colour is yellow-gold. The nose is marked by malted barley and ripe fruits (pear, peach) hints.
The palate is smooth and reveals also fruity and slightly spicy notes (pepper).
The finish develops on the sweet bitterness of malted barley and citrus fruits (lemon).

(la Maison du Whisky)

A very nice smell  invades the nose immediately. A mix of malt and fresher notes, orange? blackberry's?... The taste isn't deceiving neither, and the question raises why is this whisky not better known on the market? A nice finish completes the whole. The reasonable price is OK too. A recommendable bottle.
79/100
A second tasting generated less enthusiasm than the first one. This whisky, which however remains rather pleasant, is too much dominated by malt, and a certain acidity remains in the background.
74/100
The nose detects some ripe fruit and floral hints, with a very discrete touch of smoke on the background. A sweet and pleasant smell. In the palate sweetness and ripe fruit fragrances dominate. A rather sugared whisky, with a touch of citrus fruit and a slight hint of pepper. The finish is rather long, and very sweet as well. For those who like sweet whiskies, this bottle should be very nice.
74/100
The nose is rather discrete but relatively complex, mixing fruity smells (orange marmalade) with malted hints and a touch of freshly cut grass on the background. In the mouth, the taste is pleasant, mixing sweet hints of citrus fruit (pink grapefruit) with discrete hints of honey and some touches of hazelnut. A short finish, recalling the honey and developing on hazelnuts.
79/100
  Back to summary table
 

Imperial

Gordon & MacPhail 1991 Reserve
Collection
 Reserve
Age
 12 years
Alcohol percentage
 60,4 %
Bottler
 Gordon & MacPhail
Cask number
single cask 8681
Dates
 Distil: 1991 Bottling: 2003
Bottle
 243 btls
Particularity
 Non chillfiltered cask strength
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 85/100
Imperial Gordon MacPhail
The nose detects fruity (peer) and rather complex smells. In the palate, the exceptional alcohol degree is not a problem at all. The bottle is remarkably balanced, between sweetness and complexity. A powerful but subtitle taste, and strangely enhanced at the swallowing. The finish seems to be stronger than the palate. Really a very nice complex bottle. A very surprisingly bottle.
84/100
An amazing nose, clearly marked by coconut hints, deliciously complex and announcing a top whisky. I the palate, the nice coconut impression remains present, and some slightly acid tastes (citrus fruit) and malt touches contribute to a marvelous balance. The finish is very nice, lingering and complex, and the coconut hints are still there.
88/100
The nose is marked by spices (pepper, nutmeg), slightly tingling with menthol notes, cut grass and coconut hints.
In the mouth, a nice complexity, some acid notes and fine wood and fruity (apple, pear) notes with nutty touches.
The finish is warm, with a slight presence of alcohol and nice hints of malt and fruits.
84/100
  Back to summary table

Imperial

Daily Dram: 1994-2007
Collection
 Daily Dram
Age
 13 years
Alcohol percentage
 46,0 %
Bottler
 Bresser&Timmer / The Nectar
Dates
 Distil: 1994 Bottling: 2007
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 84/100
Imperial Daily Dram
The first nose is rather aggressive with however nice notes of acid fruits (green apple) before developing on something more floral. After a while the dominating impression is a great freshness. Hints of cut grass and hay appear.
In the palate, first impression is acidity but after a few seconds the taste develops on smoother notes, letting a mix of malty and fruity (plum) notes. The evolution in the mouth is really interesting even if the taste palette is rather limited.
The finish is smooth and warm, quite long and the notes of malt from the mouth are still present and some chocolate hints appear.
This bottle seems to need some aeration. A first tasting (not described) revealed a much less interesting whisky .
84/100
A nice fruity nose with fresh green mango and apple followed by sweeter peach hints behind a light veil of smoke.
In the palate, a nice mix of green apples with fine and discrete wood developing slowly on ripe fruits and a kind of malty smoothness.
The finish is lingering, fruity with light hints of hazelnut.
An amazingly smooth whisky.
84/100
Back to summary table

Imperial

Daily Dram: Lime Pair, 11 years
Collection
 Daily Dram
Age
 11 years
Alcohol percentage
 46 %
Bottler
 Bresser&Timmer / The Nectar
Cask number
single cask 380
Dates
 Distil: 1996 Bottling: 2008
Bottle
 303 btls
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 0/100
Imperial Lime Pair
Back to summary table

Imperial

25 years
Collection
 Cask Collection
Age
 25 years
Alcohol percentage
 46,9 %
Bottler
 Dewar Rattray
Particularity
 Non chillfiltered cask strength
links & average quote
 91/100

Imperial

Rare Auld Cask Strength 19 years
Collection
 Rare Auld Cask Strength
Age
 19 years
Alcohol percentage
 53,9 %
Bottler
 Duncan Taylor
Cask number
single cask 450
Dates
 Distil: 01.1990 Bottling: 07.2009
Bottle
 29 of 156 btls
Particularity
 Non chillfiltered cask strength
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 84/100
Imperial 19 Duncan Taylor
A nice but not eccentric nose, made of discrete notes of malt and dry fruit. The nose is perfectly balanced.
In the palate, a mix of bitter smoothness, cashew nuts and some clearer bitterness, unripe walnut. Alcohol is obviously present even if this does not hinder the taste. Just like the nose, the mouth is balanced and not eccentric. A very pleasant mouth.
The finish is on dry fruits too and of medium length.
84
Back to summary table
Imperial: not in collection

Imperial

25 years
Collection
 Cask Collection
Age
 25 years
Alcohol percentage
 46,9 %
Bottler
 Dewar Rattray
Particularity
 Non chillfiltered cask strength
links & average quote
 91/100

Comment by
Henrik Johansson

Date of tasting: 29/5 2009 (SWS tasting)
Apperance: Dark gold with slight green tone.
Nose: Very bisquity. Boiled hot dogs with mustard and bread. A little pear distillate and spring flowers. More floury with water, sterile bandages and aspargus.
Body: Medium
Palate: Starts floral and quite light. Becomes bigger towards the middle. The finish is really very powerful, very long becoming a tad green towards the end. Herbs and green leaves.

 91/100


Back to summary table

Imperial

1979
Age
 No age statement
Alcohol percentage
 40 %
Bottler
 Gordon & MacPhail
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 75/100
Imperial 1979 gordon Macphail
Back to summary table

Imperial

NC2 1994/2007
Collection
 NC2
Age
 12 years
Alcohol percentage
 46 %
Bottler
 Duncan Taylor
Dates
 Distil: 1994 Bottling: 2007
links & average quote
 82/100
Back to summary table

Imperial

Single Cask 1993
Collection
 Single Casks
Age
 11 years
Alcohol percentage
 45 %
Bottler
 Gordon & MacPhail
links & average quote
 84/100
Back to summary table

Imperial

Reserve 1991
Age
 11 years
Alcohol percentage
 59,1 %
Bottler
 Gordon & MacPhail
Cask number
single cask 8687
Dates
 Distil: 1991 Bottling: 2003
Particularity
 Non chillfiltered cask strength
links & average quote
 82/100
Back to summary table

Imperial

27 years, 1982
Collection
 Cask strength Collection
Age
 27 years
Alcohol percentage
 58,3 %
Bottler
 Signatory
Cask number
single cask 3973
Dates
 Distil: 1982 Bottling: 2010
Particularity
 Non chillfiltered cask strength
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 92/100
Back to summary table

Imperial

Un-chillfiletered Collection 1995
Collection
 Un-chillfiltered Collection
Age
 15 years
Alcohol percentage
 46 %
Bottler
 Signatory
Particularity
 Non chillfiltered (small batch)
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 84/100
Back to summary table

Speyside

Speyside Map

The Speyside area is situated at the North of the Cairngorm mountain and goes to the Moray firth. It is delimited by two rivers: the Findhorn at the West side and the Deveron on the East side.
The area is named after the river Spey. Most of the distilleries take their water in one of its affluents; the Fiddich, the Livet or the Avon.
About sixty distilleries from Speyside are described on this site.

<< previous distillery << >> next distillery >>

Click on the map for a list of the distilleries of the area, on the title for further information
about the Speyside area, and if you want to make an "alphabetical journey" through the area, please
click on one of the pagode roofs, according to the direction you want to follow