This starts out on a very similar path to the Imperial 20-year-old I sampled as an appetizer: austere and minerally. But things liven up considerably mid-palate with a burst of pineapple cubes at the back of the mouth and a bouquet of crisp, bright fruits. And while the single malt Imperial finished short, this blend has a long coda of apples and canned clementines. Like a wet brush on a magic painting book, the Aberlour brings out the colors in this blend to great effect.