Imperial

History The Imperial distillery was a producer of single malt Scotch whisky located in Carron, Speyside that operated sporadically between 1897 and 1998. It was demolished in 2013. Imperial was mothballed and reopened several times in its hundred-year history. The only official bottling was a 15-year expression, released in the mid 1990s. Chivas Brothers, who owns the brand, has built the new Dalmunach distillery on this site.

The Whiskyphiles tasting notes

Official Bottling

Independent Bottling

Cadenhead

Imperial 37 Years Old 1977 Single Cask (2015) – Imperial-Glenlivet 37 Years Old 1977 Single Cask (53.5%, Cadenheads, Bourbon HH, 204 Bottles, 2015) Speyside single malt scotch whisky 53.5% ABV, £260 for 70cl from Wm Cadenhead’s Score: 86/100 What they say: Distilled 1977, Bottled January 2015, Aged for 37 years in a single bourbon hogshead and producing 204 bottles at cask strength of 53.5% […]

Chapter 7

Imperial 22 Years Old 1998 Monologue (2020) – A mature, gentle and reserved Imperial expression, packed full of well aged fruit and wood with a focus on deep citrus zest. 91/100

Duncan Taylor

Imperial 10 Years Old 1998 Whisky Magazine (2015) – Imperial 10 Years Old 1998 Whisky Magazine – Editor’s Choice (53.6%, Duncan Taylor, American Oak HH, 252 Bottles, 2009) Speyside single malt scotch whisky 53.6% ABV, £55 Score: 83/100 What they say: An Imperial selected by the Editor of Whisky Magazine and bottled by Duncan Taylor. Distilled in November 1998 and bottled in February 2009 […]

Gordon & MacPhail

Imperial 18 Years Old 1993 Distillery Labels (2015) – Imperial 18 Years Old 1993 Distillery Labels (43%, Gordon & MacPhail, 2011) Speyside single malt scotch whisky 43% ABV, ~ £45 for 70cl Score: 87/100 What they say: Colour: Golden amber. WITHOUT WATER: Nose: Initially creamy, perfumed and fresh. Followed with hints of fudge, cooked fruit, and toasted malt. Palate: Starts off vary peppery with […]
Imperial 19 Years Old 1995 Distillery Labels (2014) – Imperial 19 Years Old 1995 Distilery Labels (43%, Gordon & MacPhail, 2014) 43% ABV, £58.95 for 70cl Score: 89/100 What they say: A 1995 vintage whisky from closed (although rumours are abound of its resurrection) Imperial, bottled by Gordon & Macphail with a retro distillery label. What I say: Dram #2 from WOLS tasting 14/3 […]

Hunter Laing

Imperial 23 Years Old 1990 Old & Rare (2015) – Imperial 23 Years Old 1990 Old & Rare – A Platinum Selection (57.9%, Hunter Laing, Sherry Butt, 302 Bottles, 2013) Speyside single malt scotch whisky 57.9% ABV, £230 for 70cl Score: 88/100 What they say: A 23 year old single malt from the dearly departed distillery, Imperial. Distilled in October 1990, the whisky matured in […]

Scotch malt whisky society

SMWS 65.5 Old School Speyside (2023) – A fantastic old Imperial with lots of dusty and woody sugars and oodles of fruit sweetness in this one. Befitting its age this becomes drying and leathery with some great tannins too. I suspect the rechar HH was a finish here as it would have been unusual to have been the initial cask but it has worked wonders on rejuvenating this spirit. 91/100

Signatory

Imperial 16 Years Old 1995 The Un-Chillfiltered Collection (2015) – 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 […]
Imperial 17 Years Old 1995 The Un-Chillfiltered Collection (Signatory) (2013) – Imperial 17 Years Old 1995 The Un-Chillfiltered Collection (46%, Signatory, HH’s #50336+50337, 718 bottles, 2013) 46% ABV, ~£38.36 Score: 84/100 What they say: This is an Un-Chillfiltered Imperial from Signatory, distilled in October 1995 and aged for 17 years in a pair of hogsheads. It was bottled in 2012. Tasting Note by The Chaps at Master […]
Imperial 18 Years Old 1995 The Un-Chillfiltered Collection (2014) – Imperial 18 Years Old 1995 The Un-Chillfiltered Collection (46%, Signatory, HHs #50284 & 50285, 711 Bottles, 2014) 46% ABV, £41.95 Score: 85/100 What they say: A bit about the bottler Signatory Vintage are an independent bottler founded in 1988 by Andrew and Brian Symington. The name ‘Signatory’ was derived from the initial intention to find […]
Imperial 18 Years Old 1995 The Un-Chillfiltered Collection (2015) – Imperial 18 Years Old The Un-Chillfiltered Collection (46%, Signatory, HHs #50288+50289, 742 Bottles, 2014) Speyside single malt scotch whisky 46% ABV, £42.52 for 70cl Score: 86/100 What they say: An un-chillfiltered Imperial single malt, bottled by the lovely folks at Signatory. Taken from two hogshead casks filled in September 1995 and emptied in April 2014. […]
Imperial 19 Year Old 1995 Cask Strength Collection (2016) – Bright, crisp and sharp – what better descriptives could I look for when describing this single cask example? Eludes to its age with a depth and complexity but still some distillery character shines through, so not over-oaked! Packed full of cereals with a touch of citrus zest and a healthy dollop of vanilla. 89/100
Imperial 20 Year Old 1995 Cask Strength Collection (2016) – Another beautiful single cask Imperial from Signatory. This is much more balanced than the last with an equal weighting of spirit and cask influences. Truly luxurious in feel and a good depth of woody sugars mix to evoke some wonderfully complex flavours. Delicious! 90/100
Imperial 20 Years Old 1995 The Un-Chillfiltered Collection (2020) – Imperial 20 Years Old 1995 The Un-Chillfiltered Collection whisky review: A fascinating dram, possibly the least favoured by many at the table but also disappeared the fastest! Make of that what you will, this dram was much more funky and dusty then the final dram of the evening… 87/100