08/07/2024 Imperial

Imperial 27yo 1996/2023 (52.4%, Adelphi Limited, Refill American Standard Barrel, C#3411, 187b): nose: beautiful, beautiful blend of dried herbs (oregano, thyme, hawthorn) and wood varnish. It is very dry, borderline earthy, yet still appealing. We have a bunch of dried-out meadow flowers (cornflowers, daisies, clover, red campions, common knapweed), and dried carnations. Then, a fruity sweetness appears: cut Conference pears and apple slices served on slate. Speaking of slate, there is a certain minerality forming, flint chippings, or rock dust, even if that plays second violin to the newfound sugar. Pretty soon, it is wood varnish that comes back, augmented with smoked peaches, and maybe a whiff of (wood or coal) smoke coming out of a zinc flume. The second nose welcomes mellow shoe polish, and soft purple-pink pencil erasers. Who would have thought that tasting whisky would take one back to a 1980s primary school, eh? Further nosing ushers in a delicate leafy freshness. Mouth: oh! this is fruity alright. Here, we have crushed strawberries sprinkled with crystallised sugar, and a dusting of soot. Sweet, fruity, soot-y. Fascinating interplay, really. It would appear that the soot gains the upper hand, after a few seconds, with the other notes adding subtle layers of interest. Chewing brings back wood varnish -- a mere drop of it. The second sip tickles the tongue more, black-pepper style, while pushing a smoked-fruit paste into the spotlight -- smoked membrillo, or smoked-strawberry jelly. Excellent. On the palate too, leaves appear somewhat later on: laurel, bay leaves, olive leaves (who said: oleaves?) Finish: a luscious kick of milk chocolate filled with strawberry paste. The alcohol is so well integrated it goes down undetected, yet one realises quickly how quietly assertive it all is by the length -- this finish goes on and on. A minute in, a mild bitterness settles in, and we find something between black olives and rollmops brine, blended with unripe-hazelnut spread. Could it be some sort of tapenade? I can only remember one dram that gave me this impression: another Imperial, bottled by Cadenhead at 37yo, and then not every time. Repeated sipping puts the emphasis on that bitterness; it never turns liquorice-y: simply suggested rubber that does not overpower the above. Is my score a little generous? Bah! 9/10