The ImpEx Collection: Editions One and Two (Japanese, Israeli, Scotch Whiskies & Jamaican Rum) Review & Tasting Notes

 

Today I’m embarking on a journey I’ve not attempted before. I will report on seven whiskies and two rums in a single review. I plan to break this up into “shifts,” so I don’t overstimulate (or deaden) my palate.

 

I’m also approaching this experiment like I’d handle a whiskey tasting with multiple pours: I start at the lowest proof and work my way to the highest. I’ll also save the rums for last, as they’ll have (or should have) a different profile than the whiskies. I’ll also cleanse my palate between each.

 

Why in the world would I attempt to review nine adult beverages in a single article? Ah, yes, there is an explanation!

 

ImpEx Beverages, Inc. was founded in 2008 by Sam Filmus. He wanted to curate rare and premium spirits from around the world while concentrating on Scotch. A decade later, he was joined by Chris Uhde, and together, ImpEx imports Whisky, Gin, Rum, and Mezcal from Scotland, Wales, Japan, Israel, Mexico, England, the Caribbean, India, and New Zealand. Sam and Chris are open-minded and interested in the unusual spirits other countries offer.

 

ImPex began an independent bottling line called The ImpEx Collection.

 

“The ImpEx Collection is a labor of love derived from the heart of Sam Filmus, President and Managing Director of ImpEx Beverages. He, along with his business partner Chris Uhde, has spent a great amount of time and passion selecting the casks that go into each bottle of The ImpEx Collection that you find on the shelf.

 

After over 40 years of combined industry experience, you can tell that each Cask is unique and special, offering the best that different categories have to offer. Whether you find yourself looking for a dram of rare and unique Whisky or you feel you want a special and select rum or mezcal, you can be sure that each bottle of The ImpEx Collection will take your passion for a spirit to new heights.” – ImpEx Beverages, Inc.

 

There have been two editions of the ImpEx Collection. I have been generously gifted four Scotches, two Japanese whiskies, one Israeli whisky, and two rums to #DrinkCurious and render my no-strings-attached honest review. To avoid being repetitive in the descriptions, I’m using Glencairn glasses and drinking these neat.

 

Edition One: The ImpEx Collection Secret Japanese Single Grain

 

This Japanese whisky starts with a mystery: ImpEx does not disclose where they obtained the cask, hence the Secret part. It is a 17-year single-grain whisky distilled from koji rice and unmalted barley mash, then packaged at 43.6% ABV (87.2°). It is non-chill filtered and can be obtained for about $300.00.

 

Appearance: This whisky presented as a rich, caramel color and, despite its lower proof, formed a microthin rim. After a moment, it generated thick, fast tears.

 

Nose: The aroma consisted of lime juice, ripe berries, caramel, and ancient oak. Once the air hit my mouth, I found toasted coconut.   

 

Palate: The mouthfeel was incredibly creamy. Butterscotch dominated the front of my palate. Midway through, I could discern coconut cream, raw almonds, and sweet berries. Oak, white pepper, and peppercorn formed the back.  

 

Finish: Flavors of coconut cream, cinnamon, and oak remained for a shorter finish.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: While I wish the finish was longer, it doesn’t impact my feelings about this whisky. I found the coconut notes particularly enticing. Overall, it was well-balanced and full of flavor. I am slightly gunshy at the cost. If you’ve got that much burning a hole in your pocket, buy it. For me, Secret Japan Single Grain Whisky is something I’d recommend trying at a Bar first.

 

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Edition Two: The ImpEx Collection Fukano Cask #218 Japanese Single Grain

 

 

There’s no secret here with the distiller. It comes from Fukano Distillery, located in Hitoyoshi City. This distillery was founded in 1823 and utilizes a pot still instead of a more efficient, higher-capacity Coffey (column) still. They also use malted and unmalted rice instead of barley as the mash. Fukano can also be considered a craft distiller of sorts. Everything they distill is barreled in only a handful of casks, and each expression is different from the next, with the goal of Shigeruriku Fukano to never repeat them.

 

Like the Secret Japanese whisky, Fukano is a single grain whisky made from koji rice. In this case, the rice consists of both malted and unmalted grains. Distillation occurred in 2005, and it sat in oak for 16 years. This whisky is non-chill filtered and bottled at its cask strength of 44.4% ABV (88.8°). A 750ml bottle runs about $200.00.

 

Appearance: The Fukano was darker than the Secret Japanese whisky, appearing almost as burnt umber. Its medium rim released thin, straight legs.

 

Nose: Caramel and bubblegum were the first things I smelled, followed by strawberries and boysenberries. Vanilla cream rolled across my tongue when I inhaled the vapor.

 

Palate: A thin and oily texture greeted my palate, and the front immediately plucked blueberries, citrus, and toffee. Flavors of spiced nuts mingled with earthy mushrooms midway through, while the back offered old oak, vanilla cream, and nutmeg.

 

Finish: The nutmeg, oak, and toffee provided a long, mellow, lingering finish.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: I’ve had a few Fukano whiskies, and they’ve never disappointed me yet. They’re something special, and Cask #218 held true. It was lovely in all the right places and deserved my Bottle rating.

 

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Edition Two: The ImpEx Collection M&H Muscat Wine Cask #2018-1069 Israeli Single Malt

 

 

Established in 2012 as Israel's first distillery, M&H was initially called Milk & Honey Distillery. They've recently moved to change the name to M&H to alleviate confusion and assumptions that milk or honey are used as ingredients. The Head Distiller is Tomer L. Goren. Using a 9000-liter (about 2377 gallons) Romanian pot still and a 3500-liter (about 924 gallons) German pot still. Lacking legal requirements to define Israeli whisky, they've followed a traditional Scottish whiskey-making process. Everything has aged a minimum of three years.

 

Before you scoff at three years, remember the climates of Israel and Scotland couldn’t be more different.

 

M&H used Muscat wine casks for aging this single malt whisky. Muscat is typically a sweet dessert wine made from some of the oldest grape varietals in the world. Bottled at 56.5% ABV (113°), it can be acquired for about $120.00. 

 

Appearance: The deep, dark brown liquid had a reddish hue. A medium rim yielded slow, syrupy tears.

 

Nose: The aroma of this Israeli single malt was floral and grassy. I also encountered pineapple and peaches. Drawing the air through my lips, I tasted blueberries.

 

Palate: The mouthfeel was light and very warm. It was as if I grabbed allspice, black pepper, rosemary, thyme, and marjoram and blended them together. While I could pick the individual flavors, I couldn’t determine what came first or last.

 

Finish: The medium-long finish consisted of cocoa powder, freshly-cracked black pepper, and allspice.  

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Sometimes, even with all the whiskies I’ve reviewed over the years, I get thrown for a loop. I expected something sweet from what I smelled and knew about Muscat wine. Yeah… none of that was there. If it was, my palate was too distracted.

 

I’ve had three or four M&H whiskies, all of which have been incredible. The Muscat Cask just wasn’t my jam. I hate to do this, but it is a hard pass and takes a Bust rating from me.

 

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Edition Two: The ImpEx Collection 2011 Auchroisk Cask #806214 Single Malt Scotch

 

 

Now we get into Scotch whiskies. The Auchroisk Distillery was founded much later than most. In 1972, this Speyside distillery was built to produce whisky for Justerini & Brooks (J&B) to add to what Knocknado, Glen Spey, and Strathmill contributed. Distillation began in 1974. Then, in 1986, Auchroisk produced single malts for The Singleton brand.

 

As The Singleton, Auchroisk was the first distillery to use a finishing technique of fully matured whisky in former Bourbon barrels and then transfer the contents into former Sherry casks. It didn’t last long, and in 2001, The Singleton shifted production to the Dufftown, Glendullan, and Glen Ord distilleries.  Currently, Auchroisk is part of the Diageo umbrella.

 

Cask #806214 is a single malt Scotch distilled in 2011 and aged in a hogshead for 10 years. A hogshead is 63.5 US gallons and made from former Bourbon barrel staves. This whisky was bottled at 57.8% ABV (115.6°) and had a suggested price of $115.00.

 

Appearance: The pale straw-colored liquid produced a thicker rim and slow, sticky tears.

 

Nose: When I inhaled the glass to my nose and inhaled, it was like opening a box of plain breakfast cereal. Then, smells of grapefruit, malt, golden raisins, and honey. In other words, it started slow and then blossomed into something lovely. As I drew the air through my lips, I found apple and malt notes.

 

Palate: You know, if I wasn’t aware I was drinking whisky, I’d swear I was sipping a dry, white wine. The texture was waxy; the front of my palate tasted white pepper, lemon zest, and malt. As it moved to my mid-palate, I tasted nutmeg, thick honey, and vanilla. Then, oak, bananas, and torched sugar were on its back.

 

Finish Bananas, vanilla, torched sugar, and oak remained on my tongue and throat for a medium-long finish. There was no evidence in my mouth that this was a 115° Scotch; I would have guessed 15-20 points less!

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: I was really digging this Scotch. Great flavors were all over the place that garnered and held my attention. This is from a distillery I’ve never heard of before today… how cool is that? The price is worth the cost of admission; it earned its Bottle rating.

 

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Edition Two: The ImpEx Collection 2016 Ardnamuchan Cask #86P Single Malt Scotch

 

 

The Ardnamuchan distillery shares two qualities with the aforementioned Auchroisk: I’d never heard of it before, and it is a newcomer to distilling. It is the mainland’s westernmost distillery and was founded in 2014. It is owned by the independent bottler Adelphi.

 

Its first distillate was ready in 2016, and in a few short hours, all 2500 bottles were sold. Another round of 2500 bottles was made available in 2017, which again sold quickly. Since then, larger casks were secured, offering more whisky.

 

Cask #86P slept for six years in first-fill Oloroso Spanish oak. When dumped, this Highland Scotch weighed in and was bottled at 58.2% ABV (116.4°). It can be had for about $135.00.

 

Appearance: Its deep caramel color looked enticing. Try as I might, a rim never really produced. Instead, whatever went up the wall immediately fell back down.

 

Nose: Until now, we’ve not encountered peat. Well, that drought just ended. The smoke wasn’t overwhelming; it was soft and had an ashy smell, along with grilled pineapple, smoked meats, caramel, and orange zest. Drawing the aroma into my mouth brought more caramel.

 

Palate: Ardnamurchan had a full-bodied texture. While the smoke was light on the nose, the same couldn’t be said for my palate. It was still ashy but far more dominating. Nutmeg and caramel were also early in the tasting experience. As it moved to the middle, the smoke faded and became briny while tasting of chocolate, almonds, and light fennel. The back featured grilled pineapple, orange peel, and golden raisins.

 

Finish: The saltiness fell off quickly. The fruitiness stuck around, joined again by smoke, chocolate, and nutmeg. Overall it was a warm, medium-long duration.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: My excitement at the introduction of peat had me smiling from the nosing forward. Ardnamurchan Cask #86P is, so far, my favorite of the lot. It piqued my interest in learning more about this distillery and discovering other expressions. The price… When something is this delicious, as long as we’re not talking crazy numbers, it becomes irrelevant to the equation. I’m sold, and it steals my Bottle rating.

 

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Edition Two: The ImpEx Collection 2008 Ardmore Cask #5943 Single Malt Scotch

 

 

Ardmore is a distillery I’ve known about, but I don’t believe I’ve tasted anything from it. It is located in a relatively remote part of the Highland region. Ardmore, founded in 1898 by Adam Teacher, is the second-to-last distillery that utilized coal-fired stills. That process ended in 2001 when it was converted to steam. The distillery sits near the highest point of the Northway rail line; Teacher built a sidetrack to take advantage of it, allowing him to ship his stocks by rail. All water is sourced from the nearby springs of Knocknady Hills.

 

Ardmore remained as part of the Teacher’s portfolio for its duration. It is now owned by Beam Suntory, and everything it produces is lightly peated between 12 and 14 ppm.

 

Cask #5943 is a single malt distilled in 2008 and aged 13 years in a refill Bourbon hogshead. It left that cask at 59.3% ABV (118.6°) and sold for around $150.00.

 

Appearance: This Scotch is presented as a dull, brassy liquid. A thin rim birthed wide but slow legs.

 

Nose: Yup. There’s peat in this whisky. As my olfactory sense accepted the campfire smokiness, smells of grass, popcorn, caramel, and salt were revealed. Inhaling the aroma into my mouth was all vanilla.

 

Palate: Ardmore’s texture was waxy and slick. The front of my palate tasted light, earthy smoke, ancient leather, and corn. Midway through, baked apples were joined by cinnamon and nutmeg. The back featured flavors of charred oak, clove, and caramel.

 

Finish: The caramel and smoke notes kept mingling, one taking over the other and vice-versa. It drank at its stated proof; the long-lasting finish was in Energizer Bunny territory.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: I enjoyed this Ardmore expression, and like Ardnamurchan, it has captured my interest, and I’d like to seek out others from this distillery. I believe my Bottle rating is quite fair.

 

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Edition Two: The ImpEx Collection 2010 Tormore Cask #800985 Single Malt Scotch

 

 

Tormore Whiskey Distillery is another that I’ve never heard of until now. This Speyside distillery was built in 1960 and the first in the 20^th century. It was designed by Sir Albert Richardson, the then-president of the Royal Academy. The distillery is an architectural marvel referred to as The Pearl of Speyside.

 

Tormore was part of Schenley International, owner of Long John Distillers. In 1975, it was sold to Whitbread & Co., whose spirits division was acquired by Allied Distillers in 1989. Then, in 2005, Chivas Bros. purchased Allied Distillers. Since then, Tormore’s distillate has been a component of Ballentine’s blends. A year ago, Elixir Distillers entered into an agreement with Pernod-Ricard (owner of Chivas Bros.) to acquire the Tormore Distillery.

 

Cask #800985 is a single malt whisky distilled in 2010 and aged 11 years in a refilled Bourbon barrel until it was dumped at 64.7% ABV (129.4°). A bottle can be purchased for $140.00.

 

Appearance: The color of this Scotch was akin to a Chardonnay. A microthin rim unleashed a wavy curtain of unformed tears.  

 

Nose: An aroma of lemon and lime zests flowed to my nostrils. Fresh-cut grass and vanilla followed. Orange peel danced across my tongue as I breathed in through my mouth.

 

Palate: The texture was light and airy. It also set the tip of my tongue afire. There was no doubting its stated proof. Once I got past the palate shock, I tasted lemon peel and vanilla bean on the front. Then came a kiss of smoky peat with raw honey and allspice. The back offered black pepper, clove, and oak tannins.

 

Finish: The raw honey, lemon, and vanilla bean are carried through and beyond the strong clove and oak notes. It was a medium-long, sharp finish.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: I added precisely one drop of distilled water to experience what would happen if I proofed it down a few points. On the nose, the vanilla exploded. Spice remained on the palate but was somewhat muted, allowing those fruity notes to shine. The smoky peat was still there, and the vanilla bean became thick.

 

I much preferred this at the lowered proof. The sharpness vanished. It pushed what might have been a Bar rating to a Bottle.  

 

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But wait, there’s more! I still have two Rums to try. To be absolutely transparent, I know very little about Rum. It isn’t something that I seek out, and I don’t know what I’m supposed to look out for. I approach Rum, Gin, Vodka, etc., as with whiskies.

 

Edition One: The ImpEx Collection 2005 Long Pond Cask #21VRW Rum

Long Pond was founded in 1753 as a sugar factory and distillery in Jamaica’s Trelawny parish. Rum distilleries in Jamaica and the rest of the Caribbean were commonplace in the day. The number of working distilleries on the island is surprisingly low. Including Long Pond, there are only six.

 

In 1977, the Jamaican government took control of Long Pond and several other distilleries. In 1993, it sold Long Pond to investors. Then, in 2006, it, along with Clarendon distillery and Innswood to create the National Rums of Jamaica.

 

Long Pond was shuttered in 2012 due to environmental concerns and eventually restored in 2017. It operates a column still and two pot stills.  Most of what Long Pond creates is sold as bulk spirits or used in blends.

 

Cask #21VRW was made in a pot still in 2005 and aged in an oak barrel for 15 years. It was bottled at 52.2% ABV (104.4°) and listed for $120.00.

 

Appearance: This Rum was a deep caramel color. It produced a very thick, sticky rim with extraordinarily slow tears.

 

Nose: I smelled clove, molasses, brown sugar, and fresh mint. Inhaling the vapor through my mouth tasted of caramelized sugar.

 

Palate: Wow, this was jammy! The front tasted of baked apples and strawberries, while coconut and caramelized brown sugar were at mid-palate. Cocoa powder melded with cherry pie filling.

 

Finish: The cherry pie filling kept coating my mouth and throat, and the brown sugar was quickly identified. The cocoa powder turned chocolatey. It was thick. It was sweet. It should have lasted longer, though, or at least that’s what I wanted it to do.  

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: I enjoyed sipping on Long Pond. Trying to figure out the palate was fun. There was much to savor and nothing that I could come up with as a negative. Not knowing anything about bang-for-the-buck, I’d give it a Bottle rating.

 

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Edition Two: The ImpEx Collection 2007 Clarendon Cask #654MKMB Rum

 

Last but not least is a 14-year-old Rum from the Clarendon Distillery. This Jamaican distillery was established in 1949 by The Monymusk Sugar Factory. It was nationalized by the Jamaican government in 1976 under an umbrella called The Sugar Corporation of Jamaica. It was transferred in 1980 to the National Rums of Jamaica, of which the government retains partial ownership.

 

Clarendon utilizes pot and column stills and has a reputation for making some of the finest Rums in the world. However, up to 90% of its production is sold as bulk spirits. It is used for well-known brands such as Captain Morgan Black, Myers, Port Royal, and Royal Jamaican. The remainder is bottled under its premium house brand, Monymusk.

 

Cask #654MKMB was made in a pot still in 2007 and aged in an oak barrel for 14 years. It was bottled at 53.4% ABV (106.8°) and listed for $100.00.

 

Appearance: The orangish-brown liquid left a thin rim and formed slow, wide tears.

 

Nose: The aroma featured fresh-cut grass, toasted coconut, stewed plantains, and crème brulee. The plantains were more pronounced as I drew the air into my mouth.

 

Palate: The texture was oily – very oily. I tasted plantain chips and menthol on the front of my palate, while the middle had flavors of cherry pie filling and Nutella. The back had plenty of oak tannins and clove.

 

Finish: There was a significant amount of heat on the tip of my tongue. The clove and menthol created a unique combination. That tingling remained for several minutes.  

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: While I really enjoyed the Long Pond, the Clarendon expression was weird – at least to me. Perhaps a rum connoisseur would find the combinations as something to relish. I didn’t know what to make of it. I have difficulty using my Bust rating for something I lack expertise in, so I’ll use my Bar rating instead.

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Final Thoughts: If I could only choose one of The ImpEx Collection spirits that I tried, it would, hands-down, be the 2016 Ardnamuchan Cask #86P. There were several other exceptional pours, but none came close to eclipsing it.

 

This was a fantastic journey, and while I didn’t give all the ratings that I’m sure ImpEx Beverages had hoped for, I appreciate the opportunity. Cheers!

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you do so responsibly.