Stop number 103 on the SDT is Imperial. This Speyside distillery went through multiple closures, reopenings and owners. The final nail in the coffin of this distillery came in 2013 when it was demolished to make way for the new Dalmunach distillery which was built in 2015 on the exact same location as Imperial. A bit of shortsightedness saw most of the remaining stocks sold off to be used in blends rather than being sold as single malts to enthusiastic collectors. Thankfully there are independent bottlers out there to make single malt bottlings possible. Enter The Ultimate Whisky Company and this 20 year old bottle of Imperial. Distilled in 1995, bottled at 46% ABV, natural color of a pale gold and non chill filtered. The nose begins with apples, pears and dry grass. It’s not a very intense nose, but it is pleasant. Almonds, walnuts, vanilla and some sweet peaches. Some light raisins, toffee and oak. Green grapes, nice floral notes and honey. Very faint banana, slightly malty with a pinch of brown sugar. The palate is much more intense than the nose would suggest, if not too complex. Peaches, honey, raisins and almonds. Citrus - mostly oranges, but there is a bit of lemon in there as well. Underripe banana and vanilla. A medium to full bodied mouthfeel that is lightly oily, mouth coating and then dry. The finish is medium long with vanilla, citrus, banana and it turns slightly bitter. Not a bad whisky, but certainly far from great, especially when you consider its age and price point. The price, a whopping $200, is surely more of an indication of its rarity as opposed to its quality. It has decent flavors, but nothing to set it apart from any other Speyside. Thanks to @PBMichiganWolverine for the sample. 2.75-3 Cheers