In Memory...

On November 23, Connosr lost one of its own, but I lost a brother in law (who was more like a brother) and a dear friend.

@Nosebleed chose his handle as a humourous adaptation of Nozinan. He wasn’t very active on Connosr itself but many of our Canadian members (and at least one US member) have benefited significantly at one time or another from his hunting skills. Most notable among his finds were 8 bottles of Mac CS for $73 out the door (at a time when the Whisky Exchange was selling one for 125 GBP), and more recently the last 7 Amrut IS in Calgary for under $100 Canadian. There were many others over the years.

Every time I visited we would go to some of the best stores, but we also scoured the smaller independent stores for some great finds, including a number of excellent dusties. Several other members were fortunate enough to have met him, either at Spirit of Toronto one year or at a family function.

He was certainly a great person to have a dram with, and we tried a lot of new whiskies over the years. But I feel the need to make it clear that I’ve known him longer than I’ve been into whisky. When we met I hadn’t even dreamt of owning a bottle of whisky. My relationship with him went way further than whisky. As much as I like this hobby, it was insignificant compared to everything else in our relationship. If anything, he enhanced my enjoyment of whisky, but we often got so busy with other things that it was placed on the backburner.

But this is a whisky site.

My wife has been in Calgary helping to support her sister and is returned yesterday. A few days ago her sister said she wanted to get rid of his collection and were there any bottles that her brother in law might like? So my wife and I face-timed and she showed me the bottles. I pretty much knew what we would find. A couple had nothing to do with me, but most of them were linked to me in some way.

Like the Johnny Walker Blue. Bottled a few decades ago at 43%, it belonged to our father in law who gave away his whiskies when he had a stroke about 10 years ago. It took a while for me to convince him to take it, and I got a JW Swing.

I also saw a lot of bottles that I or @paddockjudge and I had gifted him over the years, as a thank you for all his efforts. (I didn’t see the bottle of Baker’s you gave him out of gratitude for the Mac CS but it is probably there somewhere…)

My wife was ready to bring back 8-10 bottles but I suggested a few that my niece and one of his friends might enjoy. I also suggested the JW Blue might be nice to give to one of the kids in the future (since it was their grandfather’s) and one or 2 other bottles that either have or might appreciate in value. In the end, she came home with the following:

• Amrut Naarangi Batch 3 - I was not expecting this one. We tasted it together here on Halloween 2 years ago. He got one for himself but never opened it.

• Amrut IS in the big box. Batch 5 I think. We each bought bottles together that year, early in our adventures.

• Amrut Single Cask (Bourbon) LCBO release 2014. This is one that I gave to him. I know he tasted it from one of my bottles.

• Glenlivet Naddura 16 YO batch 1214E. Why this one? I had bought a bottle of Nadurra in Toronto I believe, but had not opened it. I got him one (or maybe he bought it) when we were in Calgary and he opened it. That bottle was the only bottle of Nadurra I have tasted from (other than an NAS sample I reviewed). A few years later we found 2 dusties in a small store. We each ended up with one, both still unopened.

I have also removed 3 bottles from my “active” collection to join these three. Canadian Rockies 21 (which he hid in my cabinet on a visit a couple of years ago), Wiser’s Red Letter (there were three and he brought 2 over for @paddockjudge and “oops” there was a third one in his suitcase), and a store exclusive single cask Tullabardine (Crowfoot liquor), one of the first bottles I ever received as a gift from him.

I think that I will open either the Nadurra or the Tullabardine in his honour at a special time. Ideally it will be the next time I can get together with my Connosr friends in person, and we can toast his memory. If not, then maybe on his birthday, or anniversary, or another day I am thinking of him.

Not yet though. Whisky is supposed to be fun. And I don’t think I’m ready to have fun just yet.

@ thank you, @Nosebleed! I very much look forward to meeting you in the spirit realm one day.

To steal from Horst Luening's intro....

And apply it to Connosr.com, "Where fine spirits meet."

@Nozinan Hey so sorry to hear of your loss. I know you and the fellow Connosr's that knew him will continue to hold him close in your thoughts.

My deepest condolences. I am sorry for your loss.

@Nozinan Sincere condolences to you and your family for the loss of a good friend and cherished family member. Losing someone close is always devastating, but I believe that they remain with us as long as they are not forgotten.

@Nozinan My condolences on the loss Nozinan, my the grief eventually subside & only the fond memories & his impact on who you are shine through.

@Nozinan Sorry to hear this. I am sure that there are a couple of bottles in my cabinet that I can attribute to his and your diligence. I am sad that I never got the chance to meet him in person.

I know I posted about Danny Boy in a different thread, but I think this is the discussion where he rightfully belongs.

Here is that post;

connosr.com/so-what-arent-you-drinking-now…

So long to an old friend. A special dog that gave so much love and comfort to so many. He will be greatly missed.

Today, March 31, I lost a friend. Just over 3 years after his surprising diagnosis of colon cancer. He was 44 (41 at diagnosis).

He wanted to spread the word about early cancer screening, perhaps at a younger age than we might normally think, so I mention it here. If you have a history in the family, please speak to your doctor about screening.

He was an original participant in my first go at a whisky club. When we tried the A'Bunadh (batch 33 I believe) he was an instant fan.

I have an archived sample of many of the batches I've opened. Because this was his favourite scotch, and because he was 44, I poured a 15 mL portion of my sample in his honour today. It's a fabulous batch on the nose and the palate, but tonight it is bittersweet in my heart.

Rest in peace, my friend.

@Nozinan I couldn't log out of Connosr without responding.

I will pour myself a wee dram of the Glendronach 18yo before going to bed in honor of your friend. Good friends are hard to come by and it is difficult when they go, especially when they go 'early'.

Cheers and condolences @Nozinan

@Nozinan very sorry to hear of the loss of a dear friend. I realize he cannot be replaced but hope that your memories of him help lessen the pain. Cancer can be beaten and I am hoping that those folks on this site that have neglected to have a timely colonoscopy read this and do the right thing. There is no shame involved and having lost a friend to colon cancer who published in his obit that he would still be alive had he done so. Please ask your physician to request a test at the earliest if you are over 50 YO. You owe it to those that care for you. My wife is currently a 5 year survivor of colon cancer. Her surgeon was very upset that her colonoscopy was delayed by the system. My heartfelt thoughts are with you.

@Nozinan I am sorry about your loss.

Soooo, my participation on Connsr has been greatly curtailed over past several years. Have reached that stage in life where roles with parents had switched. Started with my father in law whom, after a brain cancer diagnosis, moved in with my spouse and I. His last three months of life were both a challenge and a blessing. Then it was caring for both of my parents. Dementia unkindly took my father but I managed to keep him home where he wished to stay. My mother did well until a freak accident broke her leg and required moving her to a nursing home. Subjecting her to having to live the last year of her life in that environment still angers and saddens me. She deserved so much better. And so the past year has been spent as her trustee processing and liquidating her estate. Almost complete. Will be bittersweet when the end is achieved. If this is to be my last Connsr post, no better time to publicly thank the ones who made my life a joy, even if I could not ensure the same for the end of theirs. To Karen, Dave, Bob and Ellen, I love you dearly and always will. To you all I toast your memory. Slainte !!!