22/02/2021 Imperial

Imperial 22yo 1998/2020 Monologue (52.1%, Chapter 7 A Whisky Anthology for Europe & Asia, Bourbon Barrel, C#104355, 218b): nose: amazingly floral, in a dry sense, teeming with dried lavender, buttercups and other meadows flowers, pot-pourri, hay, then yellow fruits: mirabelle plum, peach, even unripe mango. Warm wool appears, recently woven, and that mango becomes more pronounced -- much to my satisfaction, I might add. Quince jelly, sprinkled with ash, warm plastic buckets, dry fern, and burnt bracken, competing with the mango. After a few minutes, the nose has something closer to ink (Pelikan Royal Blue), then warm metal; picture a stainless-steel worktop in a heated professional kitchen. Last but not least, roasted peanuts enter the picture. Mouth: soft and fruity, the palate has a silky texture, though it does not lack character. Ten seconds in, a gentle metallic edge complements the lovely plums, nectarines and ripe peaches. It is definitely stone fruits, and the knife to cut them has bitten into the stone. That, of course, creates a mild bitterness, which in no way takes away from the enjoyment. The second sip is warming like a natural-gas stove (hot metal, then), and also a little woodier. The fruit stones seem more pronounced, over time, with even mango stones thrown into the mix (not to be confused with mangosteen) and maybe a torn peppermint leaf. Finish: marvellously fruity and creamy, it seems a combination of peach flesh and milk-chocolate coulis. A winning combination if I know one! Hot cocoa, dried herbs, as there were in the nose (tarragon and hay, here). The finish is medium-long, slowly fading out with elegance, barely hinting at the metallic hue from earlier. It is dominated by buttery fruit and creamy chocolate goodness, even if, in the long run, the afore-mentioned peppermint becomes more and more numbing. Outstanding Imperial! 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, EC)