If I had to do with three distilleries only...

As before, my picks are Buffalo Trace, Ardbeg, and Amrut. These would give me the variety and quality that I require.

As I mentioned on the other thread, I think Amrut is so versatile it obviates the need for a Scottish distillery... So my other two would be a Canadian ( likely Wiser's, which has taken over the role of innovator from Forty Creek, which in the past probably produced my favourite Canadian) and either BT (for Stagg and Stagg Jr) or the more accessible Beam, for Booker's" OGD BiB and OGD 114.

@Victor It was hard for me not to pick Ardbeg but their range are not offering the same variety Bruichladdich has. As for Amrut, after I'll taste the Intermediate Sherry, I may switch from Benriach to Amrut but I never had an Amrut focusing on sherry.

I think there iis a few Japanese distilleries that are offering the variety I am looking for; unfortunately, I don't have the money and didn't have the opportunity to taste many, therefore, I can't choose them over those that I know.

@Robert99 there is an Intermediate Sherry waiting for you in Toronto

@Robert99, Amrut's Intermediate Sherry Matured Malt is the biggest single reason why Amrut is on my list. The sherry quality is impeccable.

Sure, if I had to, I could live with either Laphroaig or Bruichladdich as a substitute for Ardbeg.

@Astroke While I have tried and liked quite a few Four Roses LEs and Binny's Private Four Roses Barrels, they would never supersede BTAC and Van Winkle in my affections. My total history of buying/acquiring Four Roses products: 3 bottles of Bulleit Bourbon, 1 bottle of Four Roses 2009 Mariage and one gifted bottle of a private barrel Four Roses received from my sister. I get my Four Roses kicks over at her house because she owns 8 or more bottles of LE and Binny's Private Barrel Four Roses.

@Nozinan Thanks, I hope to find some time in November to make a trip to Toronto. I know that there is nice conversation, a nice tasting and two nice whiskies to bring back that are waiting for me in Toronto. I have all the incentives to not forget about it. Now, I need to find time.

@Victor Octomore is the reason why I picked Bruichladdich but it would be hard to say goodbye to Ardbeg (specialy for the 10 et Uigeadail) but also to the Lagavulin 12 which has become one of my favorite lately.

Talking of Lagavulin, do I have to understand that you would rank it 4th among Islay distilleries?

@Robert99, yes, I do place Lagavulin behind Ardbeg, Bruichladdich, and Laphroaig. I am not at all sure, though, that I would prefer Lagavulin over Kilchoman for overall quality.

@Victor Our perception of overall quality is not at all the same. I would put Lagavulin with Ardbeg and Laphroaig for constant quality, Bruichladdich being sometime inconstant and Kilchoman being for me unpredictable. But Bruichladdich is by far the one offering the larger variety of whiskies, they even have a gin. As for Choosing between Ardbeg, Laphroaig and Lagavulin, they each have their style, therefore it is a question of taste and preferences.

@Robert99 @Victor each of those three have their positives. I have had some great Ardbegs, Lagavulin12 tends to be good. While I like some (thanks @paddockjudge for letting me cross 18 off my list) of the Laphroaig releases, I think my favourite Islay whiskies come from Bruichladdich (Octomore and Peat), and any Caol Ila CS, purportedly Peated or unpeated, I have tasted.

@Nozinan Iagree with you, each has its own merits. I didn't forget about Caol Ila, I simply only have the fantastic CS you gave me. I am not able to base a fair judgement only on one bottle of one expression.

Ardbeg, Amrut, these are 'no-brainers' for me. The third spot is the difficult one, I really like Glengoyne, but Amrut has the Intemediate Sherry te replace Glengoyne. So I'd go for Bushmills, you won't find something similar as the elegant 21 yo in Ardbeg or Amrut. To sum it up: 1 Ardbeg 2 Amrut 3 Bushmills

I would go with Auchentoshan for my aperitif, GlenDronach for their full sherried malts with a lovely dinner and a cask strength Caol Ila after (or with!) dessert. Luckily, we are not that limited in choice...

I’m going to have to say:

• Lagavulin. I love it. I can’t live without it. Or, I wouldn’t want to.
• Wiser’s/Hiram Walker. I’d have to include a Canuck, and I’m assuming in this hypothetical scenario that I would actually have access to Lot 40 CS, unlike my current reality.
• Irish Distillers/Middleton. This means I could access pretty much any Irish Single Pot Still (Redbreast, Green Spot, Yellow Spot) which suits my palate better than most sherried scotches I’ve tasted.

@Victor After a quick inventory I noted that I have some 17 different Buffalo Trace bottles, far more than any other distillery. That with my limited selection choices here in Ontario.

@markjedi1 Is there a member of Connosr who didn't know at least one of your pick? Good selection, I almost choose Glendronach as my provider for sherry finish whisky but discard it on the variety criteria. I like the way you choose thinking about going through a day.

It would have surprised me greatly if someone would have considered Auchentoshan as a surprise, surely :-)

• Buffalo Trace
• Hiram-Walker
• Jim Beam

I really wanted to put Four Roses on there, but couldn't justify it when considering what I would have to give up.

@markjedi1 I’m new here, but one look at your cabinet and I understand completely. Forget about distilleries, I think I could just pick a cabinet from a few of the members here and be good for the rest of my life.

@Nelom No scotch at all? Mind you Beam owns stuff world wide.

@Robert99 I was at a Caol Ila masterclass so got to try a couple of high strength versions, plus I have the one you have a bottle of (which I remember with fondness though I haven't tasted it in over 2 years), and the G&M that I finally sourced thanks to @Astroke.

Maybe it's the difficulty I've had in getting those CS bottles that makes them all taste so special...

@Robert99, for peaty-smokey-briney consistency of quality flavours throughout their offerings, Laphroaig would be first choice, without a doubt. But I prefer the best of Ardbeg to the best of Laphroaig, so that is why I choose Ardbeg over Laphroaig in this category of whisky. Sure, I like Octomore, PC, and others from Bruichladdich, and would miss them if I didn't have them, but Ardbeg Supernova releases and Dark Cove Committee Releases do just fine in the high potency Islay category. Ardbeg Corryvreckan would work too, if I just didn't happen to have bought two of the worst batches of it. Lagavulin is competitive too, of course, especially the 12 yo and the better DEs.

@Nozinan, talk about "mission creep"! Are you suggesting that the question be changed to "Which are your three favourite spirits corporate conglomerates?" ?

@Victor No, I'm not. That title is too big for Connor's format...

@Nozinan Nope, no scotch. Between the excellent Canadian whiskies coming out of Hiram Walker both now and in the very promising future, and the fantastic bourbons made by the Buffalo Trace and Jim Beam distilleries in Kentucky, there's just no room on my list for scotch.

Bravo, @Nelom! You are a brave man for saying that in these parts.

@Nelom I respect that point of view. And as you saw I was with you on 2 of your three choices, but I think for variety there is a place for single malts.

@Victor I don't think it's brave, it's honest.

When I was in junior high school I marvelled at those people who were brave enough to openly be different from the mainstream. How, at such a young age, could they identify as different? I think there it's still brave to single ones-self out.

I think that on a matter as trivial as alcohol preference, one should be confident to speak one's views. I think it's good that @Nelom doesn't need to feel worried about offending anyone's sensibilities. I think it behooves us as a community to be a safe place for sharing these ideas (without losing friendly humour, of course).

@Nelom, I have no doubt you are brave, and I'm sure you demonstrate this characteristic in more important aspects of your life.

Like living so far away from the flagship LCBO....

@Nozinan, honesty often requires bravery. I continue to hold that it takes bravery to list not one malt whisky distillery, Scottish or otherwise, as a top three pick among these Connosr malt-hounds. This is not 'going over the top' in 1916 bravery, but it is a modicum of social bravery nonetheless.

Interesting. A hard three picks for sure. I'd probably say Amrut, Ardbeg and Aberlour. Triple-A

@Victor fair enough, I'll accept that but I stand by my opinion that we here at Connosr ought to be open-minded enough to accept all whisky preferences without judgement.