Imperial

imperial-distillery

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
  • ImperialGlenlivet37yoWC 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: […]
Chapter 7
Duncan Taylor
  • Imperial10yoWhiskyMagazine 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: […]
Gordon & MacPhail
  • Imperial18yo1993-2011GM 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 […]
  • Imperial 1995 G&M 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 […]
Hunter Laing
  • Imperial23yoHunterLaing 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 […]
Scotch malt whisky society
  • smws-65-5 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
  • ImperialSV1995s 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 […]
  • imperial-17-year-old-1995-un-chillfiltered-signatory-whisky 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 […]
  • Imperial 18YO 1995 UCF Signatory 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 […]
  • ImperialSV1995s 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 […]
  • Imperial 19 Years Old 1995 SignatoryCask 50164 TW 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 50154) – Cask Strength Collection 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-year-old-1995-casks-50248-and-50249-un-chillfiltered-signatory-whisky 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