Description
A 37 year old Imperial whisky. Botttled by Cadenhead’s as part of their Original Collection series. Distilled in 1977, it was then aged in a Bourbon Hogshead cask, before being bottled in January 2015. A run of just 204 bottles.
The Imperial distillery was built by Thomas Mackenzie in 1897 – the year of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. The distillery was named in honour of the Royal House. The original kiln even had an enormous royal crest emblazoned on it, and the maltings even sported a gigantic cast iron crown at its apex.
Mackenzie had already had considerable success in whisky – he owned his new distillery’s neighbour Dailuaine, itself a mighty plant, and then year after would merge the business with Talisker.
The market was however beginning to turn sour and while the two established distilleries survived – and prospered, when the downturn came in 1899 it was Imperial which was forced to close due to the Pattison Whisky crash. The site remained closed for the next two decades, not re-opening until 1919.
It reopened in 1919 and the site had been acquired by DCL, but was managed as part of a dual ownership with Dewars and Johnnie Walker and when production re-launched, it was under their management. In 1925 the distillery was entirely bought out by DCL, but they decided to cease production again. The distillery lay quiet until 1955, when it was re-opened, this time by SMD. Ten years later, in 1965, the number of stills was expanded from two to four and a Saladin box was installed to malt the barley.
Two decades of production followed before it was mothballed once more in 1985 and then it was sold to Allied Distillers in 1989. Further refurbishment followed and spirit began to run once more in 1991. Sadly this was only for a short period and, once again, Imperial was mothballed, this time in 1998. It joined the Chivas Brothers portfolio after Pernod-Ricard bought Allied in 2005.
With another (apparent) boom starting around 2010 it seemed that Imperial’s time may have come again, but its new owners kept it silent. Then in 2013, the buildings were demolished.
Colour: gold.
Nose:
Camphor, shoe polish, butter cream, cough syrup, bitter oranges. With water: same, plus some mashed potatoes, Robuchon-style. 50% mashed potatoes, 50% fresh butter.
Taste:
(neat): Great, eucalyptus, citrons, peppermint, lemon marmalade, cumin, caraway, aniseed, lemon zests. What a whirlwind! With water: plenty of tiny herbs come out, together with sour apples and a piny oakiness. Green tannins.
Finish:
Long and rather peppery. Peppered chartreuse and lemon marmalade.
As with all our older bottles, there may be some slight damage to the labels / box. Please see the pictures.
