Imperial 1995 Liquid Library 16 yo

 

 

 

46°

Distillery : Imperial - Speyside 

Ex-Bourbon Wood 

Independent Bottling 

By The Whisky Agency 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2011

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

Having closed in 1998 and been demolished in 2013, Imperial is a distillery that has captured the imagination and fuelled legends. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find a bottle at a reasonable price. That is why this one is attracting attention. Aged for just 16 years and matured in Bourbon wood, it should live up to the expectations of many enthusiasts. One small drawback: it is not Cask Strength, but diluted to 46%. Furthermore, nowhere does it state that it is a Single Cask, yet only 194 bottles have been released. Unless they’ve used cask ends, I can’t see how you could blend a whisky that isn’t too old and still end up with just 194 bottles at a reduced alcohol content. 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Fully ripe yellow fruits, bursting with juice, squeezed citrus, lemon, grapefruit, mirabelle plums, banana. A hint of oak, beeswax, it is elegant and well-balanced, tarte Tatin, crusty bread with a thick layer of butter, an exotic touch in the background, papaya and mango. On the palate, it is spicy, oily, white grapes, yellow plums, melon juice, fresh walnuts. A long finish, with depth but not overly explosive, dried fruit, apricots, quince jam, figs, chlorophyll, angelica, marshmallow.

 

In Short, 

Due to the dilution, there’s a lack of body which costs it at least one point, but otherwise it’s a very good whisky. The nose in particular is superb, generous with fruit yet also very subtle and elegant. The advantage of the dilution is that it’s a pleasure to drink, it goes down a treat. But it’s the complexity that really catches the eye. You can pick it up at a bargain price at auction, it’s the sort of hidden gem overlooked by the masses that you simply mustn’t miss out on. 

Score : 88 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                             To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                                    The Red Clay Strays - Demons in Your Choir

Bunnahabhain 1974 The Perfect Dram 34 yo

 

 

 

59,3°

Distillery : Bunnahabhain - Islay 

Oloroso Sherry Cask

Independent Bottling 

By The Whisky Agency 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2008

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Almost Unpeated

 

 

 

This little gem is one of three in a series of Bunnahabhains distilled in the 1970s and bottled in 2008 by The Whisky Agency. Each one is dominated by a different type of sherry, this one being Oloroso, which in my opinion has more body and is more characterised by leathery aromas. Exactly 300 bottles were produced, so it would appear to be a Single Cask, as confirmed by Ruben, author of the impeccable WhiskyNotes blog, although this is not stated on the bottle.

Lett's Taste It : 

Very deep, dark sherry, oily, sticky, on varnished wood, very old, raspberry juice macerated in earth, with lychees, lingonberry jam. Balsamic vinegar, currants, old leather kneaded in slush, dark chocolate, a hint of smoke, a curl of iodine, sticky fat, Old Plum, fermented gooseberries, blueberries.
The palate is both very sweet and slightly acidic, with wild strawberries, followed by mouth-watering spices, nutmeg, paprika, cider and biscuit with hazelnut and chocolate chips, coffee grounds. Sublimely well-balanced, with an extremely long finish of tinder, heather, ferns, almonds and red fruits.

 

In Short, 

This is what I call a killer. Very marked by red fruits, but also very dark, it seemed to me, with fat, cider, a lot of very original elements that I hadn't sensed elsewhere, because of its intensity and complexity. Today it's completely sold out, and you'd need a private detective to find a bottle, but at the time of its release it was certainly a bargain despite its high price.

Score : 92

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

                                           Cabaret Voltaire - Crackdown

Bowmore 1997 The Perfect Dram 15 yo

 

 

 

52,5°

Distillery : Bowmore - Islay

Ex-Bourbon Barrel 

Independent Bottling 

By The Whisky Agency 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2013

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Peated around 25 ppm

 

 

 

This long-established bottling is much sought-after on the market. Although it doesn't say 'Single Cask' on the bottle, it does say 'Matured in an Ex-Bourbon Barrel'. And if there's only one barrel, it's a Single Cask. And there are only 153 copies in existence.

Let's Taste It : 

Fairly light mountain honey. Thick peat, limestone, earthy rock, gypsum. The edge of a beach with lots of seaweed. Mud. Sea breeze. Fresh iodine. Coarse salt. Hints of exotic fruits, pineapple, banana. Quite strong smoke, cigarette ash. Caramel and eucalyptus candy. On the palate, the spices are there from the start. Liquorice and vanilla. Warm tones of blood orange and blackcurrant. Black pepper. Aniseed finish, muscular without being explosive, but long enough, woody, slightly earthy, with more liquorice.

 

In Short, 

It doesn't disappoint. It's sufficiently ashy, rocky, peaty, iodised, and at the same time sweet and fruity to give a good time. The product has been completely sold out for some time now, but in the unlikely event that you find it, it would be wise to give it a try, provided the price isn't too steep.

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                          The Raconteurs - Steady, As She Goes