WHISKY SUMMIT

@Robert99, Teeling 21 is a great choice!

We should also negotiate some trades with our fellow participants. They could be completed at event time.

Anyone interested in a Corn whisky? 90 pf, 20 YO - Highwood Ninety Canadian Whisky. Rated:

• 93 by @paddockjudge

*93 by @Victor

• 92 by @JasonHambrey

*91 by @talexander.

newverie - please forgive my neanderthalic manners - a hearty thank you to you as well for your equally generous offer.

@paddockjudge the criteria of first offer seems fair and resonates with me - as well as a guarantee that the second event be held in newverie's neck of the woods. A tip of the glass to both.

@Victor @Benancio I'm happy to have a summit in New Mexico. I already had plans next year for visiting Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe Mountains National Parks. For the record Guadalupe Mountain is in Texas and is the highest peak in the state at 8750ft. We make for our small mountain by placing it right next to the best Permian reef exposure in the world. The lake house isn't going anywhere and I'd be happy to host a summit another time. There are 3 full size bunk beads and another trundle bed. To answer victors question yes I can take at least 6 guests, more if there a couples sharing a bed. It isn't a big place so expect bedroom privacy along the lines of a hostel.

I was also a little concerned about room rates with the balloon festival, but seeing that sounded like it would be worth it. I may have to make a separate trip to NM to see that some day.

@Benancio For purely selfish reasons I put forward the following weekends for Albuquerque.

Oct 28 and Oct 29 Note that Oct 30 is my birthday. Nov 11 and Nov 12

Reasons to justify my selfishness? I'll be taking two weeks off of work regardless of when the summit takes place. A bucket list item of mine is to attend the Annual Chili Cookoff in Terlingua Texas. The cookoff is the first weekend in November and this year is their 50th celebration. Having the summit the weekend before or the weekend after the cookoff gives me a chance to attend.

@newreverie A Halloween Whiskey Summit sounds like fun we could wear costumes. Late October into November the weather is iffy. It may or may not be nice. I sit at 6500 feet in foothills of Albuquerque, at that altitude the weather changes quickly. August and September have nicer evening and we can sit outside. I have a great view of the entire city. Its great that you are willing to celebrate your birthday with us.

@Benancio Understand about the weather. I know that I am booked Sept 2-11 because I'll be hiking the Georgia section of the Appalachian trail. Most other dates should work fine for me.

September 30 and October 1 are sounding like solid dates for some of you. Should we start making this official? Who else is available for this weekend?

Sept 30 & Oct 01 Albuquerque, NM

After a final consultation with our Albuquerque 'point man', @Benancio, to coordinate the dates for our inaugural Whisky Summit, it is scheduled for Friday 30 September and Saturday 01 October. This coincides with the beginning of the Balloon Fiesta.

All are welcome. List of those who have expressed an interest in attending: @Benancio, @Nozinan, @Robert99, @paddockjudge, @Maltactivist, @newreverie, @Victor, @mscottydunc, @sorren, @JayRain, @BlueNote, @tfahey1298 More details to follow.

During balloon fiesta? I am sorry ot hear that. That's adding huge hassle and 50-75% to the cost of the trip. Coinciding this with the Balloon Fiesta greatly lowers the probability that I/we will attend. Unless you are going up into the balloons yourself, this is the most difficult week of the year to visit Albuquerque.

@Victor I suggest that several of us could rent a house for the weekend, and I may actually have one available (need to check with a friend) There are several places that can easily accommodate 4-6 people on air bnb:

airbnb.com/rooms/6661800/…

airbnb.com/rooms/8568532/…

@newreverie, I appreciate your suggestion, and still hope to attend a Connosr whisky get-together later this year.

When I fly as far as New Mexico it's going to be for a minimum of 4 or 5 nights. During balloon week, factoring in airfare, lodging, and rental car I figure costs will be $ 700 to $ 1,000 more per person than at almost any other time in Albuquerque. That's a lot of nice bottles of additional booze I'd rather have than to make my New Mexico trip at the time of the Balloon Fiesta.

@Victor

After talking it over with @paddockjudge and @newreverie, we want to make the date more accessible and affordable for our interested Connost friends.

The Official date of the 1st Connosr Whiskey Summit is:

September 23, 24 2016 Friday and Saturday. Albuquerque New Mexico USA.

Can we get show of hand of those of you who believe that you will be attending?

Cheers Benancio

@Benancio, I expect to come Sep 23 and 24, barring unforeseen problems. @Dramlette is a 'maybe' to join in, pending her ability to schedule the time off from work.

@Benancio,

Thank you for suggesting Albuquerque, New Mexico as the site for our first Whisky Summit. Your offer to host our tasting sessions is an extremely generous one. After five months of posturing and jockeying I am delighted that we have agreed upon a date for this much anticipated gathering.

I will be booking my flight this month, but before I do so, I'd like o have a sense of what the duration of stay will be for other participants. I will likely be visiting New Mexico for more than just two nights.

Let's fill in the roster and get some trades started.

Date looks good for me... Bump to @paddockjudge suggestion to fill in the roster. I'm also thinking of a couple more nights.

@tfahey1298,

We'll likely need an All-Ontario trial run before September ;)

I think booking an airbnb house is the way to go for this. Most 3 bedroom homes can be had for $900-1500 for a week + security deposit. There are several very close to @Benancio house. That amounts to $250 a person if there are 6 of us. Not a bad price for a week. I only plan to stay Fri-Sun, but I do not mind putting in $250. My dad will likely join and we can share a room.

@paddockjudge @Victor @Nozinan The HGTV home in my first link can be rented from 9/23-10/2 for ~$1500. That is three bedrooms, with one bedroom having seperate beds and the other having larger beds. If Victor commits to bringing his wife and paddockjudge and Nozinan are comfortable sleeping in the room with the seperate beds, there would be 6 of us for the house. airbnb.com/rooms/6661800/…

I'm willing to book the home and take payment from you sometime in the future if the three of you commit. Note: Victor if your wife can't make it, i'm sure we can find someone else to join in, so don't feel like you need to commit $500 right away.

@newreverie, sign us up for the property presented on the link. I am willing to commit to one of the queen/king bedded rooms, with the understanding that we won't know for sure about my wife's attendance for some time. That price makes me want to stay for 9 nights!

@Newreverie you can count me as a maybe. I would say your proposition of a BnB is increasing the probability of my going but I will probably not be able to determine if I go before April.

@Paddockjudge If you have a trial run before september, will you count me in even if I can't go to Albuquerque?

@Robert99

Definitely! You are already on the list for the Ontario Summit.

@Victor, are we staying for the beginning of the Balloon Fiesta?

@Paddockjudge Thanks. I haven't buy the Teeling 21 yet because it is very pricey for me and I won't buy it if I don't go to the Whisky Summit. I am also wondering if all the peated heads would prefer that I brought Ardbeg Supernova 2015. Although I know that our American friends are able to grab almost all Ardbeg product. What do you think?

@paddockjudge, it is doubtful that I/we will stay for the full 9 days, but I don't rule it out completely. If we can swing it, we both prefer to come for 7 days at least. Rental cars and return flights will get more expensive and sell out into the balloon fiesta period. New Mexico is a hell of a lot of fun, and we also have friends in Santa Fe and Taos.

@Victor I can think of at least two days a car isn't needed. Judging by the maps the place should be in walking distance to ben's house. I'll plan on booking the place in a few weeks once we cement everyone's stay. I may be able to help with rental rates on the cars as well. My plan is to be in Albuquerque for both weekends and be gone during the week.

@newreverie, good to hear about rental cars. Keep that information coming and current, please. And be sure to coordinate with the paddockjudge. I've been exchanging ideas with him privately. I'd prefer earlier dates for the lodging...the paddockjudge can give you details.

@paddockjudge - I would be very interested in an Ontario 'pre-summit' gathering, schedule permitting. Unfortunately, I will likely be unable to catch up with everyone in New Mexico.

@Pudge72,

The more, the merrier! I'll be sure to keep you apprised of our progress.

Please add me to the list of individuals for an Ontario 'pre-summit' gathering...