This is an 18yo Imperial distilled in 1995. The distillery has since closed. I drammed this at a local bar.

Distillery: Imperial (lost distillery)

Region: Speyside

Price: ~$15/20ml (dram from a bar)

Cask Type: Hogsheads 50284 + 50285 (label doesn't say what the hogsheads contained)

ABV: 46%

Chill-filtered: No

Color: 0.3, pale gold (natural colour).

Rested ~10 minutes before drunk neat in a tulip.

Nose: Traces of honey. Malt syrup. Then the wax! Lily in spades! Rosemary.

Palate: Rich mouthfeel, yet super smooth. Resin and wax dominates for a long time. Orchids! Jasmine! Lightly-steeped cherry blossom tea! Pomegranate! Peaches and vanilla.

Finish: Short and subdued, but befitting the style of whiskey and strength. Passionfruit, vanilla, Japanese melon rind, green apple. Rosemary in sparkling water.

Conclusion: The best way to describe this whiskey is "ethereal". Super waxy but not at the expense of delicate (yet well-defined) florals. Lily, jasmine, orchids and pomegranate are not notes you find everyday. I think bottling it at 46% was probably the right call. The wax stops just short of overwhelming. The texture is rich, especially considering the profile. However, the finish peters out too quickly, especially given how subdued it is with the sparkling water note. There is a sweetness on the palate, but a bit too subliminal. This, together with the delicate florals and the light colour really makes it feel ethereal, becoming a memory almost as soon as it is sipped.

If it were named by the SMWS: Pom and Circumstance

Score: 86

Scotch Review #17, Whisky Network Review #19

H.Y.