Imperial 34 Year Old / Single Malts Of Scotland Director's Special Speyside Whisky

Penelope Hart — Beautiful whisky, brutal price

7/10

Let me be honest — this is a very good whisky but I'm not sure it's a £925 whisky. The palate is soft and fruity with some nice nutty notes, classic old Speyside character. At 41.1% ABV it does feel like the cask took a lot out of it over those 34 years. I'd have been thrilled at half the price, but at this level I expected something more intense.

Finn OBrien — Beautiful whisky, brutal price

7/10

Let me be honest — this is a very good whisky but I'm not sure it's a £925 whisky. The palate is soft and fruity with some nice nutty notes, classic old Speyside character. At 41.1% ABV it does feel like the cask took a lot out of it over those 34 years. I'd have been thrilled at half the price, but at this level I expected something more intense.

Jason Steel — Beautiful whisky, brutal price

7/10

Let me be honest — this is a very good whisky but I'm not sure it's a £925 whisky. The palate is soft and fruity with some nice nutty notes, classic old Speyside character. At 41.1% ABV it does feel like the cask took a lot out of it over those 34 years. I'd have been thrilled at half the price, but at this level I expected something more intense.

Tiffany Nguyen — Elegant but almost too soft

8/10

I picked this up at a tasting event and was impressed by how smooth it is. The low ABV keeps everything really delicate — honey, stewed apples, a wisp of oak spice. My only gripe is I wish they'd bottled it a touch higher, maybe 46%, to give it a bit more punch. Still a lovely dram that I sipped neat over about an hour.

Ruth Banks — Elegant but almost too soft

8/10

I picked this up at a tasting event and was impressed by how smooth it is. The low ABV keeps everything really delicate — honey, stewed apples, a wisp of oak spice. My only gripe is I wish they'd bottled it a touch higher, maybe 46%, to give it a bit more punch. Still a lovely dram that I sipped neat over about an hour.

Valentina Ricci — Elegant but almost too soft

8/10

I picked this up at a tasting event and was impressed by how smooth it is. The low ABV keeps everything really delicate — honey, stewed apples, a wisp of oak spice. My only gripe is I wish they'd bottled it a touch higher, maybe 46%, to give it a bit more punch. Still a lovely dram that I sipped neat over about an hour.

Annika Svensson — Shared this with friends and they loved it

8/10

Cracked this open for a birthday gathering and it was the star of the night. Really approachable for such an old whisky — no harsh wood bitterness at all, just layers of dried apricot, toffee, and gentle spice. Everyone commented on how easy it was to drink neat. The Single Malts of Scotland bottlings have been consistently solid in my experience and this one delivers.

Kai Oliveira — Shared this with friends and they loved it

8/10

Cracked this open for a birthday gathering and it was the star of the night. Really approachable for such an old whisky — no harsh wood bitterness at all, just layers of dried apricot, toffee, and gentle spice. Everyone commented on how easy it was to drink neat. The Single Malts of Scotland bottlings have been consistently solid in my experience and this one delivers.

Sibel Nur — Shared this with friends and they loved it

8/10

Cracked this open for a birthday gathering and it was the star of the night. Really approachable for such an old whisky — no harsh wood bitterness at all, just layers of dried apricot, toffee, and gentle spice. Everyone commented on how easy it was to drink neat. The Single Malts of Scotland bottlings have been consistently solid in my experience and this one delivers.

Oscar Delgado — A rare treat from Imperial

9/10

Imperial distillery has been closed for decades so finding a 34-year-old single malt from them feels special. There's this gorgeous waxy, tropical fruit thing going on with old oak and vanilla underneath. I added literally two drops of water and it opened up even more. One of the best Speysides I've had this year.

Marco Andretti — A rare treat from Imperial

9/10

Imperial distillery has been closed for decades so finding a 34-year-old single malt from them feels special. There's this gorgeous waxy, tropical fruit thing going on with old oak and vanilla underneath. I added literally two drops of water and it opened up even more. One of the best Speysides I've had this year.

Astrid Nilsen — A rare treat from Imperial

9/10

Imperial distillery has been closed for decades so finding a 34-year-old single malt from them feels special. There's this gorgeous waxy, tropical fruit thing going on with old oak and vanilla underneath. I added literally two drops of water and it opened up even more. One of the best Speysides I've had this year.

Maxwell Green — Worth every sip at this age

9/10

Thirty-four years in the cask and you can taste every one of them. Incredibly complex on the nose — dried fruits, old leather, a hint of beeswax. At 41.1% it's gentle enough to drink neat without any water, which I appreciate for something this old. Not cheap at £925 but for a whisky of this age from a closed distillery, I've seen far worse value.

Diana Cruz — Worth every sip at this age

9/10

Thirty-four years in the cask and you can taste every one of them. Incredibly complex on the nose — dried fruits, old leather, a hint of beeswax. At 41.1% it's gentle enough to drink neat without any water, which I appreciate for something this old. Not cheap at £925 but for a whisky of this age from a closed distillery, I've seen far worse value.

Helena Kosta — Worth every sip at this age

9/10

Thirty-four years in the cask and you can taste every one of them. Incredibly complex on the nose — dried fruits, old leather, a hint of beeswax. At 41.1% it's gentle enough to drink neat without any water, which I appreciate for something this old. Not cheap at £925 but for a whisky of this age from a closed distillery, I've seen far worse value.