Imperial 16 Years Old 1995 The Un-Chillfiltered Collection (46%, Signatory, HHs #50324+50325, 739 Bottles, 2012)

• Speyside single malt scotch whisky
• 46% ABV, £39.95 for 70cl
• Score: 86/100

What they say:

From Signatory’s Un-Chillfiltered range, this Imperial was distilled on the 9th October 1995 and it was aged for 16 years in hogsheads 50324 and 50325 before bottling on the 24th August 2012. A release of 739 numbered bottles. Tasting Note by The Chaps at Master of Malt Nose: Beeswax, cut hay, honey and toffee apples on the nose with notes of dried flowers and oak. Palate: Rich, malty and spicy with notes of aniseed and toffee, waxy honey, oak, potpourri and butter. Finish: Spicy, slightly herbal and malty.

What I say:

Kicking off Thomas’ Imperial Tasting for the Water of Life Society (held on the 12th March 2015) were a pair of Signatory Vintage Imperial whiskies from their Un-Chillfiltered range. Both expressions were distilled in 1995, the first was matured for 16 years in a pair of Hogsheads before bottling at 46% with an outturn of 739 bottles, this being #138

Colour:

Straw gold (6/10), numerous slow/fine tears

Nose:

Sweet honey, vanilla cream, crème brûlée, coconut, custard, bourbon-cask/vanilla essence, cereal barley malt, fruity peach and pear, brown sugar, prickly/spirity

Taste:

Sweet honey and vanilla, a little zesty orange oil, cereal barley malt, caramel oak wood, brown sugar, vanilla crème brûlée, hints of zingy fresh root ginger

Finish:

Medium length, zesty thick cut Seville orange marmalade and cereals

Overall:

This had a lovely aroma and nose, on the palate this was a little zestier and fruitier than I was expecting but was fairly accomplished. Signatory’s non chillfiltration and decision to bottle this at the weightier 46% has definitely paid off, with water or filtered I expect this would be a little too thin and astringent. Very nice! I really enjoyed this starter.