Today I’m back where it all started for me with the closed distilleries: Imperial. Nothing new to say, so I’ll just take chance in this intro to review my hitherto progress of the ghost safari tour.
| Distillery | Region | Closing year | Safari status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caperdonich | Speyside | 2002 | 🟡 sample acquired |
| Imperial | Lowland | 1998 | 🟢 tried & reviewed (#41-42 #122, this post) |
| Pittyvaich | Speyside | 1993 | 🟢 tried & reviewed (#224) |
| Rosebank | Lowland | 1993 | 🟢 tried & reviewed (#116 #223) |
| Littlemill | Lowland | 1992 | 🟢 tried & reviewed (#43-45) |
| Lochside | Highland | 1992 | ⚫ missing |
| Inverleven | Lowland | 1991 | 🟡 sample acquired |
| Coleburn | Speyside | 1985 | ⚫ missing |
| Convalmore | Speyside | 1985 | ⚫ missing |
| Glenesk | Highland | 1985 | 🟢 tried & reviewed (#195) |
| Glenflagler | Lowland | 1985 | ⚫ missing |
| Glenury | Highland | 1985 | 🟡 sample acquired |
| Millburn | Highland | 1985 | ⚫ missing |
| Banff | Speyside | 1983 | 🟢 tried & reviewed (#117) |
| Brora | Highland | 1983 | 🟢 tried & reviewed (#230-231) |
| Dallas Dhu | Speyside | 1983 | ⚫ technically I tried it, but the sample was off |
| Glen Albyn | Highland | 1983 | ⚫ missing |
| Glenlochy | Highland | 1983 | ⚫ missing — but not hard to find a sample |
| Glen Mhor | Highland | 1983 | 🟢 tried & reviewed (#118) |
| Glenugie | Highland | 1983 | 🟡 sample acquired |
| North Port | Highland | 1983 | 🟡 sample acquired |
| Port Ellen | Islay | 1983 | 🟢 tried & reviewed (#232) |
| St. Magdalene | Lowland | 1983 | 🟢 tried & reviewed (#196) |
| Ben Wyvis | Highland | 1977 | ⚫ missing |
| Kinclaith | Lowland | 1976 | ⚫ missing |
| Killyloch | Lowland | 1975 | ⚫ missing |
Imperial | 18yo (1996) | 43% | Gordon & MacPhail
from a 2cl sample bottle
🗒️ Tasting notes
Nosing
A sweet scent of flowers (lavender) and ripe fruits (pear, nectarine, orange), some shortbread, and dusty wooden drawers. A delicate, elegant, and uncommon nose.
Sipping
Medium sweet, and with a fine tonic-like bitterness. Floral, a little grassy, and mild fruits. Medium finish.
💭 Comments
Delicate and elegant. The low alcohol does not let the dram down, overall.
Deliciousness
Fun factor
Value for money
Punchline
⚫⚫🟢
⚫🟡🟢
🔴🟡⚫
Summer in a glass
Imperial | 24yo (1991) | 48.2% | Malts of Scotland
🌐
Scotch single malt
🪵
bourbon barrel
🔆
unchillfiltered & natural color
💲
€200 on secondary market, but rarely appears
from a 2cl sample bottle
🗒️ Tasting notes
Nosing
Fresh, and lively with citrus, floral, exotic, and minerally notes: lemon drops, clementine, peach, lemongrass, a touch of tiger balm, white pepper, granite.
Sipping
Oily texture, medium sweet, a hint of bitterness. Clean, spirit-driven and malty, with mild fruit and light grassiness, especially in the finish.
💭 Comments
Really lovely stuff.
Deliciousness
Fun factor
Value for money
Punchline
⚫⚫🟢
⚫🟡🟢
⚫🟡⚫
Long live Imperial
❤️
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