Impex Duo - Isle of Raasay & Ardmore
Two from the Impex Collection | Various ABV
Uncovering Community
For those who pay attention to the happenings ‘round Dramface, even in the depths of a hot Summer, the podcasts are here again!
Even my stout companions, the Colonials, have managed to scrounge up some content for the Whiskyverse. Glory be! And more to come. Huzzah!
As the kids would say: “We are so back!”
Listening to the most recent pod (‘cross-the-pond aka the “official” Dramface podcast), our spirit of engaging with the wider whisky community is in full force (the latest being a tribute to the whisky community itself) with voices, faces, and (whether you like it or not) visuals to accompany our written treatises of tipples and taste.
As much as we enjoy the written banter of comments that accompany our whisky compendiums, there’s no substitute for the genuine camaraderie of laughter, and a dram shared between friends, either in-person, or virtually across screens.
Without burying the lede too much, community is everything.
As a thirsty explorer newly reveling in the mysteries of the water of life, it was a search for elusive community that led me from mild-mannered private whisky enjoyer to passionate capturer, sharer, writer, and - some would say - crazed whisky obsessive.
It may have been an anonymous social media account, humbly created to practice my nascent photography skills, that started my descent into malt madness, but it was the seeking and finding of fellowship within the local community that strengthened my personal whisky fulfillment.
Community is responsible for the bottles under discussion today.
Before I get too ahead here, I don’t speak for everyone, only myself, as always. I don’t assume that everyone who enjoys whisky-as-a-hobby is looking for fellow punters to gather with or even need such association. I’m sure many are happy to just have an evening nightcap to themselves, or an occasional after-work-drink with friends and aren’t necessarily in pursuit of others of the same flock.
But to me, I’ll say it again, community is everything.
Perhaps it’s indicative of whisky itself that it unites us in such a way. After all, let’s be frank, it’s a strong spirit, and throughout history its qualities have been known to, uh, bring people together. Revelry and companionship are whisky’s calling cards. By its very nature it’s a social glue, a lubricant for conversations worldwide, and an accessory to both playful antics and poor decisions every day.
Although energized and eager to find other like-minded whisky folks locally, I had to confront the reality that on this side of the pond we are currently in the middle of an American craft-spirits renaissance. As wonderful as that is, it mostly translates to bourbon enthusiasm and many of the local clubs and bars cater to that audience.
Nothing against bourbon and those who enjoy it. Through this experience I’ve been able to sample much more bourbon than I would seek on my own, which has expanded my exposure to the spirit and allowed me to see it with more nuance and appreciation. But just between us, some of the local whisky clubs were a little “bro”-ey and that’s not my speed.
It was the Long Beach chapter of the Women Who Whiskey that first welcomed me into their tribe. Some may scratch their heads at that, but remember, only bottles have labels. They create such an inclusive environment and I cannot say enough good things about WWW and the community they’ve created in Long Beach. Whenever it comes up, I tell people jokingly I identify as a “woman who whiskies.”
I faithfully attend as many of their meetups as I can and through their monthly happy hour and other special events, I’ve been exposed to some great pours. I consider some people I’ve met through WWW as dear friends that I’ve shared many fine drams with. All brought together by the social adhesive of amber gold.
Women Who Whisky Long Beach deserve praise for what they’re doing to help educate folks and create a bias-free space for spirits education that’s as fun as it is welcoming. They also run great events and that ain’t no small feat.
Further, let’s be real, we as men need to acknowledge that we can be “mansplainers” and gatekeepers when it comes to whisky just because our grandpa drank it and it was marketed as a “man’s drink” on both sides of the Atlantic for 100 years. There are lots of women doing great things to break down barriers across the industry and they deserve more than just recognition, but genuine acclaim. I love the attitude and spirit of this group and I’m humbled they’ve accepted me despite my unfortunate gender.
Plus, scientifically, women have a better sense of smell and taste than men and can derive more notes and pleasure from pours, so shouldn’t whisky be considered a woman’s drink?
Through the Women Who Whisky I connected with another stellar group in Southern California, the Virtual Tasting Society. Invited to a beach bonfire meet-up by the WWW last Summer, I sat next to someone I’d never met. As always, I was armed with samples and broke the ice by introducing a few pours I thought he may not have tried. He also was carrying samples and poured me a Teaninich – a fellow devotee of the aqua vitae in the wild! We hit it off instantly. He told me he runs virtual whisky tastings over zoom every Thursday. We started talking and have been talking ever since. A great person, another friend, and a passionate evangelist for the great community that can be found through whisky. (I’ll make it to a poker meet-up one of these days!)
Started during the pandemic, the Virtual Tasting Society’s original mission of connecting people through whisky one zoom meeting at a time has since expanded. Whisky folk from different parts of the country attend their weekly sessions. I can be expected, with only a few exceptions, to be on every Thursday evening, enjoying samples from distilleries all over the world. The meetings are loose, informational, entertaining, and of course, flavorful.
Through them I’ve heard from master distillers and blenders, distillery owners, brand ambassadors, and others with a palpable passion for the liquid they create and sell. True craftspeople. There’s nothing better than seeing the sparkle in the eye of someone discussing a product they helped create.
The chats we’ve had after tastings or on social media is what it’s all about. A real community has been cultivated here. Like the Women Who Whisky, the folks who make the trains run on time for the Virtual Tasting Society deserve praise for what they’ve developed over the last few years. Once again, I’m just honored to be a part of it and to have been welcomed so graciously by the group.
As always, it’s the people that make whisky so much fun.
I’m continuously surprised (although I shouldn’t be) by the delicious grain spirits produced globally. Broadening my horizons through both groups has been a benefit to my palate and greater spirits education.
So how does that get us to today’s bottles?
Working with one of the main scotch whisky importers to the United States, Impex – to whom I owe the availability of some of my favorite distilleries locally on shelves – VTS arranged an in-person tasting with Impex’s founder featuring single cask expressions they had bottled from their new Impex Collection line offered to U.S customers. It was a great event. The culmination of the whisky community in action and the work of many to bring friends and whisky lovers of all stripes to one place. An in-person reunion for those who mostly knew each other across screens.
The tasting was well-run and quality drams were poured. Two bottles stood out to me during the tasting and I arranged to purchase them. I wanted to see how they stood out on their own and not in a lineup with others or in a tasting environment influenced by a tired palate and group think.
Community is wonderful, but to really dive deep into these expressions, they needed proper time and consideration away from conformity and bias.
I also saw an opportunity to highlight single cask releases from a relatively new bottler to our readers - and one based in the U.S.
Review 1/2
Isle of Raasay 4yo, Bottled by Impex Collection, matured in a Manzanilla sherry cask, 60.3% ABV
$100 Paid. Still some availability (US only).
In my Raasay duo piece from a couple months ago, I wrote about being intrigued by this distillery and the unique cask maturation styles they’ve been using. I’ve not shied away from the “newborns” (now toddlers) in my whisky journey.
Imported by Impex, Raasay has popped up on shelves in the U.S., and their core range is widely available here in select markets.
I also mentioned in that write-up that I was curious to try more single cask expressions of this spirit, so I was excited to see this bottle in the tasting lineup and a bold “4” on the label, proudly and unapologetically proclaiming its youth to the world
This particular bottle was distilled using peated malt and fully matured in a Manzanilla Sherry cask for four years and bottled at cask strength.
Score: 6/10
Good stuff.
TL;DR
Punchy but Pricey. A raw glimpse at a new-ish distillery
Nose
Immediately hit by waves of potent smokiness that’s earthy, savory, sooty, and drying. Much smokier than any previous expression I’ve had from Raasay. Saltwater and sardines. Charred wood. Cranberry granola. Sweet and sour sauce. Smoked cheeses. With time red berry fruitiness emerges like strawberries, cherries, and raspberries, but altogether not as cask forward as I expected. The sharpness of youth is present but not in a bad way, just powerful and raw. The cask does peek through with more time in the glass, and I get maraschino cherries and a distinct salted almond nuttiness.
Water brings more balance and opens this up considerably. Creamy strawberry yogurt (is Gogurt still a thing?). Overnight oats. Still earthy and smoky, but less overwhelming. Sea spray. Trail mix with raisins. Salted nuts. Honey granola with almond soy milk. Burlap. Hints of citrus. Oatmeal raisin cookies.
Palate
More heat on the palate. Quite punchy. Ashy smokiness remains strong throughout. More dried cranberries and berry fruits. Strawberry breakfast bar. Less savory than the nose also. Red candy. Like the nose, this is much better with water, heaps of berries and granola with hints of sweet maple syrup, Almond Rocha, and peanut brittle. Sweeter on the finish like Nutter Butters and macadamia nuts with a nice brown sugar lift right at the end.
The Dregs
How many adjectives are there for “punchy?” This young number doesn’t dissuade with its rawness, but it’s certainly not a dram for the faint of heart, similar in force to the Raasay Cask Strength Release I previously discussed.
This definitely needs a little water to round out those jagged edges and despite its full maturation in a Manzanilla Sherry cask, there are fewer bright fruits and sweetness than I expected. Although I’m not one to scold a dram for its youth, I do think more time in the cask would allow the spirit and cask to settle into cohesion. With time, patience, and water, I do think this is good. I can’t deny there’s plenty of engagement to be found here. I’m not disappointed in this liquid at all but It’s a “mood dram” that’s for sure.
Aside from that my only gripe on this would be the price and it’s a big one on its face - $100 for a 4-year whisky is a bit of a tall order. I understand there’s upward pressure on the price of any single cask bottling, so for those seeking value I’d say there’s plenty to be found elsewhere.
But for anyone ready for a no-holds-barred cage match with something feisty, raw, and unique, look no further.
Score: 6/10
Review 2/2
Ardmore 14yo, Bottled by Impex Collection, matured in an ex-bourbon hogshead, 59.2% ABV
$160 Paid. Still some availability (US only).
Ardmore is a spirit I’ve yet to write about but thoroughly enjoy. This one was my favorite from the tasting, so I was eager to see how it held up under more personal inspection. Suntory’s Ardmore, the main character in UK stalwart blend Teacher’s Highland Cream, has a bit of a cult following among enthusiasts and, unlike Isle of Raasay, there’s been fair coverage of independently bottled Ardmore’s on this site.
I owe my love of Ardmore to my Dramface Academy days. The praise rendered upon these bottlings by the other writers piqued my interest and I’ve snatched up quite a few over the past few years. I enjoy the smoky contrast to Islay peat and there’s a few bottles stuffed in the Dunlop whisky closet of various bottlers, age statements, and cask profiles.
Like Raasay I find it to be a unique spirit and the peat levels can be more approachable to the average drinker, but also enjoyable for experienced palates of all stripes.
Score: 7/10
Very good indeed.
TL;DR
A cracking, sweet Ardmore
Nose
Initially a lovely, sweet earthy smokiness. Toasted marshmallows and graham crackers. Bakery oven. Roast potatoes. Clean, white smoke. Alcohol is integrated well and the nose is quite inviting. Piles of vanilla birthday cake. Some savory, meaty notes develop over time like grilled fish and then delectable fruits like charred pineapple and ripe lemony citrus.
Water brings fruitier sweetness and the smoke is more restrained - still dry and earthy, but ashier. Waves of white pepper. Lemon buttercream. Juicier pineapple. Zesty, sugary lemon. Cupcake frosting. Chopped Firewood.
Palate
Even more apparent sweetness than the nose, but still lightly smoky. Doesn’t feel as hot as the high ABV would suggest. More vanilla birthday cake, but also maltier and doughy. Plain sugar cookies. Cake pops.
It takes water well, which adds dimensions of tropical fruit-flavor and the smokiness takes a bit of a back seat to mangoes, pineapple, and lemon pie filling. Hints of cheesecake. Creamy vanilla on the finish with lingering wood-smoke, but also peppered chicken and pollo asado seasoning, a light tanginess as well.
I really enjoy digging deep here into the palate on this – great balance. There’s plenty of layers to uncover.
The Dregs
A mid-teens Ardmore in bourbon. Sign me up every time. There’s great cask influence here that’s apparent in that lovely sweetness, but the spirit character is apparent throughout and that light, signature, earthy Ardmore smokiness is clean and integrates well overall.
The price is far improved over the Raasay and better value, especially for that high ABV and the level of enjoyment on this. A great selection by the Impex folks and a perfect introduction of Ardmore to an American audience that may not have as much experience with this unique Highland distillery that often disappears into blends.
The palate is just bursting with flavor. This was also fun to play with the water levels as a few drops brought out more fruitiness and different dimensions of sweetness. A cracking dram.
The Final Dregs
Perhaps it’s just my personal preference that the two I chose from the tasting lineup to discuss were the only two peated expressions, maybe that’s why they stood out. Regardless, it was great fun exploring two single cask expressions from distilleries I enjoy.
The Raasay was a surprise, possibly because I didn’t expect it to be so smoky. Maybe it was the age or the type of peated barley that was used, but it felt smokier (and more raw) than the Ardmore, which thrives as the more lightly peated expression that’s fully on display here.
But more so than just these two bottles side-by-side, community is to be thanked more than anything for making this write-up possible and the great people who continue to make whisky fun.
It gives me hope and excitement for the future as there’s always more wonderful folks to meet along the way.
Tried these? Share your thoughts in the comments below. AD
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What’s your own personal top distilleries?
At the point of this article’s publication, Isle of Raasay currently sits in position #30 in the Dramface Top 40.
You can influence that vote here!
