The Whisky That Changed Everything: My Turning Point Dram

Some bottles don’t just taste good. They change you.

I still remember the first time I tasted the 1974 Adelphi Bunnahabhain 35-Year-Old. It wasn’t just whisky in a glass—it was theatre. Storytelling. Time travel. That dram rewired my brain and redefined what whisky could be.

It didn’t just warm my chest—it lit a fire that still burns today.

Why It Mattered

A whisky like that doesn’t come around often. It wasn’t only a turning point in flavour. It was a turning point in direction. The kind of pour that elevates your palate and reshapes your standards.

That one experience made me realise that whisky wasn’t just about aging or branding—it was about capturing lightning in a barrel. And once you've had that kind of bottle, it sets a bar you chase for the rest of your life.

The Bottle (Almost) Lost to Time

This all happened before camera phones were worth using—so I never captured a shot of that 35-Year-Old. But I did manage to grab its "baby brother," a 25-Year-Old from the same bottler, Adelphi. Still floors me every time I pour a glass.

I was working at Whisky Galore at the time, and staff price was $425 circa 2010. Sounds wild now, considering what bottles like that go for today. But back then, it felt like the smartest splurge of my life.

Why I Share This Now

Many whisky experts are a bit cagey when asked about their favourite dram. Brand loyalties, deep tasting libraries, or fear of playing favourites often get in the way. Not me. I’m not bridled by that.

This was the whisky that changed everything for me. And sharing stories like these—the turning points, the lightbulb moments—that’s what whisky is all about.

What About You?

What’s the dram that changed the game for you?

Comment below, send me a message, or better yet—let’s share a sip and swap stories at your next event. If you’re planning something memorable in Sydney, I’ve got the whisky that could become your turning point.