Taste notes from dinner & single malts last night

[Quaich1]

Here are my taste notes from my dinner and tasting at the Companions of the Quaich event last night:

Berry Brothers and Rudd, Imperial 17 Year 1995 from a single bourbon cask 46% abv
Cask No. 50075 bottled in 2012.

Neat-

Nose: Eau de toilette ( mild cologne), wafting citrus furniture polish, limes, kiwi and aroma of buttered popcorn and birch bark with the scent of wintergreen oil.

Palate: Flashes of fresh spruce beer, cream soda, drying, pineapple spears, spice notes, hint of lichee nuts in syrup and keylime pie.

Finish: Long, rising demerara sugar, oakiness, burnt almonds and breath freshening.

Isle of Arran 15 Year bottled excusively for the Companions of the Quaich from a single cask, a single sherry hogshead at 55.7%abv with only 296 bottles available.

Neat-

Nose: Sherry trifle reminiscences, plum pudding, strawberry rhubarb pie, cherries and creme caramel.

Palate: Spice, memories of mint, apple n' spice dessert, tangy caramel and heavy fruit syrup.

Finish: Spicy fruit cocktail in syrup, sweet earthy tones, fruit wood and butterscotch toffee.


Tomintoul With a Peaty Tang 9 Year 40%abv

Neat:

Nose: Sweet peat, smoke, spiced mixed peel, black licorice and creeping apricot.

Palate: Peat, emerging dark chocolate, espresso crema (sweet froth), smooth and creamy.

Finish: Long, bold coffee, oaky notes, black olive juice and a hint of polished shiny leather.

Comments: These 3 expressions were all very well-received by myself and the other Order of the Companions of the Quaich last night. The Imperial dram from the silent distillery is very unique and virtually different from anything else I have tasted (and I have tasted a lot of scotches). It displays it's age with a jigsaw puzzle of nose, palate and finish that fits together flawlessly which is very special. The Peated Tomintoul is special in that it is a switch from the typical Speyside malt. The Arran specially selected and bottled for the Companions of the Quaich is truly delightful and would be what I consider a dessert dram or for those who partake in cigars, a logical combination.

*****Factoids-"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". (Wikipedia) Pernod Ricard has plans to rebuild this distillery.

In its heydey, the majority of Imperial production went to the blending industry, mainly for Teachers, Long John, Ballantines and Old Smuggler.
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"Always carry a large flagon of whisky in case of snakebite and furthermore always carry a small snake."
W.C. Fields (1880-1946)

[William]

Sounds like it was a great night Murray, I have had the Tomintoul Peaty Tang which was excellent, I didn't realise it had an age statement.

In 2012 Chivas Bros announced plans to build a new distillery on the site of the old Imperial distillery.

http://www.scotchmaltwhisky.co.uk/chivascarronspeysidedistillery.htm

I haven't heard how far work has come along since the announcement other than the old distillery was demolished in the spring of 2013. It was planned to open the new distillery and go into production in 2015. I would assume the new distillery will carry the Imperial name but that has never been confirmed.
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There's no bad whisky. Just good whisky and better whisky.

[Quaich1]

[William]

I recall thinking the Tomintoul Peaty Tang was a well put together vatting of young and old.
_________________
There's no bad whisky. Just good whisky and better whisky.

[Charlie]

Cheers for the notes, the Tomintoul Peaty Tang is excellent IMO

[William]

Murray the new distillery which has been built in the same location where the old Imperial distillery stood will be called the Dalmunach Distillery, some info on it here:

www.scotchmaltwhisky.co.uk/dalmunachdistilleryopens.htm
_________________
There's no bad whisky. Just good whisky and better whisky.

[Quaich1]

[William]

Murray, the Dalmunach distillery sits on the banks of the River Spey and it takes its name from a nearby pool in the river.

I have now added a short video of the new Dalmunach distillery here:

www.scotchmaltwhisky.co.uk/dalmunachdistilleryopens.htm
_________________
There's no bad whisky. Just good whisky and better whisky.

[James T]

Murray the Imperial 17 may be worth holding onto now if you are looking to make a few pounds/dollars out of it. If not open and enjoy it knowing it has just gotten a little bit rarer.

[Quaich1]