Imperial 12 Years Old 1996

Imperial is a lost distillery that was the source of many rumours when it closed for good in 1998. Eventually, the site was acquired by Chivas Brothers in 2005 prompting further speculation and hope that this classic Victorian distillery would be revived. Those hopes were dashed in 2013 when the distillery was demolished to make way for a modern plant in the form of Dalmunach distillery. Oddly, many have only come to appreciate the charms of Imperial as several independent bottlings have reached the market in recent times. An incredibly stylish whisky, which for many years was only really supported by Gordon & MacPhail, Imperial was ahead of its time in terms of internal innovations and also (for a period) featured a huge crown on top of the pagoda. A charming whisky, mainly destined for blends, casks will still be maturing as it’s a more recent closure. So, we can hope to enjoy Imperial for many years to come.