Your most individual whisky?

Among all standard whisk(e)ys I most closely identify overall with Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye Whiskey, from the Sazerac/Buffalo Trace Antique Collection.

Among malt whiskies I now most strongly love Bruichladdich Octomore Orpheus 2.2.

Interesting, have only tried a sample of Handy and can really understand why it is so sought after. I only wish i could own a bottle to pace through and enjoy to get the full range of flavours, was hard to process and enjoy at the time of the sampling. Very much the same for the octomore, although haven't tried the Orpheus 2.2. For me it's a bottling of Scapa by Gordon and Macphail (1993) it brought a breakfast-y childhood flavour back from my memory bank. Elmer t Lee has an aromatic sweet (but natural) lemon&red fruity tea with biscuit note. (Aside being just a plain and simple brilliant bourbon, and in my opinion best sour mash i've ever tasted) This not only makes it memorable but the amazing quality makes it my favorite bourbon to date. The Glenfarclas 105 has a toasty-nutty english breakfast quality i love, on the side of the obviously distinct, quality oloroso and menthol/barley -sugar note. Glendronach 15 for the very nutty cacao on the nose and the distinct (for me) dark chocolate dipped strawberries on the palate. Three other honorable mentions are: The first couple of batches of Bunna 12 in new format (46%, but with dark green bottle, not smoked dark brown) it had an even bigger, juicier (and dryer at the same time) salted raisin note. The Tobermory 15 comes in here as a similar dry raisin gets mixed with salted butter which is a memorable combo for me. The last are Vat 69 with a sweet meat-gravy note. Springbank 18 with a "gingerbread dough" note. The Laddie 10 with salted honey and Port Charlotte 10 with lemon meringue pie, and soot.

The Elmer t Lee also has a note on the nose that resembles a particular brand of red-berry iced tea from where i grew up. Enchanting stuff

Most connected to Scotch- Scapa 16 Bourbon - Kopper Kettle

Completely different status and price but both exceptional in their own way.

I am most connected to Talisker 10yo. It has given me much enjoyment over many years though, there has been the odd disappointing bottle; not bad Whisky, just disappointing, mainly lack-luster and to me, at least, what has, on occasion, seemed a 'dumbing down'.

Cheers!

I also feel particularly connected to Talisker 10. One of the first whiskies I ever had that I really felt gave me just about everything I wanted at that time. It has gone on then to be the bottle given to me as the first birthday present from my now serious girlfriend. I have a lot of memories attached to Talisker.

Great question! I have three main bottles that are in that category, "I'm most connected with."

1.) Ardbeg Supernova (1st release). I opened it the night I met my wife. I also happened to discover an amazing band at a bookstore. So three amazing discoveries in one day: music, a woman, and a whisky. Kind of hard to beat that day. I then opened the Supernova SN2010 on my wedding night.

2.) Ardbeg Uigeadail. Without question I have bought more of this stuff then anything else. I love it. It is my quintessential whisky. I look for every batch I can get my hands on.

3.) Last but not least - Brora 21yo Old Malt Cask from 1981. This was a revelation. It rocked my whisky drinking world. I still don't fully know what to make of it - but I love it. I have gone through 2 bottles and I have one more for the future. I can't say it is my "favorite" whisky ever . . . but it is top 3 easily.

@Nock's list of three favourite malts would probably also be my next three favourite malts as well. A well-opened up bottle of Supernova 2010 could fill in for the original Supernova.

It's so hard to choose just one. There are a few that have individual meaning. A'Bunadh was the first I bought and enjoyed based on real "research". Bladnoch was the one I chose when I could order something in the uk to be brought back for me, something I could not get here (also researched), and was a success.

I'm going to choose a Whisky I've never tasted. Mortlach 22 year old "rare malts selection". (Bottled at a whopping 65.3%)

This was one of the many malts gifted to me by my "benefactor", the man who kindled my Whisky hobby, before he died (had he lived I would have tasted more and owned more rare bottles). I can't speak to the rarity if this gem, but I do know I have bottles (also from him) of higher resale value.

But of all the ones he owned (and he had such a collection!), I only ever saw one of these actually open in his home. The man had 9 bottles of THE black Bowmore. He went on about how it had been matured and how rare it was. I asked him how it tasted.... He'd never tried it! Bought each bottle for $100. He died never having tried it.

But this is one he did drink. And that is why it holds a special place for me.

@Lifewaterforce I list 25 single malt Scotch whiskies in my Top 5.

However the whisky that answers your question is above those. At this year's Victoria Whisky Festival Anthony Wills, at his Kilchoman Master Class, poured a single bottled whisky that was 61.2%, 5 years old, and one that no others in this world had been exposed to. I've not tasted a whisky in my life that is better than Anthony's single bottle. I'd love to know the cask number, but we in the class weren't privy to that knowledge. I felt privileged to taste that one, and lucky indeed are the folks in the future who get a taste from that cask.

Buffalo Trace. The simplicity and taste is appreciated but boy, the memories I have associated with that drink could fill a book. I should get started...

@Lifewaterforce An awesome question.... My most individual whisky would be Bruichladdich Octomore any of them they are all great. I live in the country where we can have bond fires and burn leaves in the fall. Orpheus 2.2 has overtones of sherry and fruit is something we have lots of in this area. Finally my admiral / wife also enjoys Octomore and many of the other Bruichladdich expressions. :)

@OCeallaigh @A'bunadhman: Cannot believe i forgot that whisky, it would complete my already big list of individual malts with Talisker 10, not only does it possess an universally individual character in itself it is also the one that started my whisky adventure, my favourite ever from Talisker is the 2009 D.E and the 2011 57 degrees. @Nock The Brora is a taste sample i will never forget, although it didn't speak to me as warm as for all others who tasted it, like anyone else though, i could definitely connect with it's overall quality and individual character. @Nozinan: That's a great story, makes you ponder as a whisky enthusiast, i can understand why you hold that bottle dear. @ two-bit cowboy: Would love to sample that single bottle, Kilchoman is a single malt i have yet to discover, it does show a lot of promise. @JJBriggs: The Buffalo Trace standard bourbon was my first venture into quality bourbon territory (briefly followed by Maker's) so i can understand why, it's still good today (very good considering the value) but it was better when at 90 proof, and seemed above that, even more... individual. @PMessinger: Wow a second voucher for Octomore, tried a sample of the 5 year old and i can say i enjoyed it a lot. Although my vote for best "burnt-leaves-bonfire-compost-peat-stack" whisky would go to Laphroaig Cask strength that i tasted in '09.