Connosr's "Golden Keyboard" Awards

This sight is awesome.

Over the five years or so that we’ve been running this site we’ve seen quite a bit happen in the lives of the people who make up this community.

It’s been a privilege to share in the announcements of births, proposals, marriages and mile-stone anniversaries. We’ve seen our members announce personal triumphs and celebrations. It’s been a joy to behold.

We’ve also seen a considerable amount of suffering and tragedy. Occasionally a member will contact us to request that their profile be deleted because on doctors’ instructions they’ve had to distance themselves from whisky. We always wish them well and wonder what happens next in their lives.

We’ve seen members announce the death of loved ones. We’ve even been contacted by the relatives of deceased members who explain that members absence and thank us for the part we played in bringing happiness to them during their time on earth.

It’s at these moments that we understand all the more that the community we’ve facilitated is made up of real people - not faceless electronic profiles. We know that in the next five years we’re going to see more. Much more.

So it’s always with great sadness that we witness and recognise when one of our members is going through a tough time. When comments seem out of character. When tempers fray a little too quickly. And we do care.

So @rigmorole we want you to know that your contribution to this site is recognised and much appreciated by us, it’s a huge collection of reviews and comments. We don’t want to see you leave the community. We sincerely hope that whatever you’re going through is short lived. If you have, as you have stated above, been drinking more whisky than is healthy then please do seek help. Most of all we don’t want you to damage yourself or go through any more troubles than you have to. Be safe and be healthy.

I find it a bit worrying when people spend so much of their time and money on whisky. I have five or six bottles of easy sippers in my cabinet, a few that I save for later. As for the expensive, special and rare releases, I try to limit myself to one new whisky every week, mostly samples. Maybe a tasting every three months. My expenses are low and my alcohol consumption level remain at a healthy level.

I write reviews cause I like to share my experiences and help people find inexpensive whiskies or samples. I use connosr to write a first version of my review, see if I get some comments/feedback, before I write a full review for my own blog.

In the end we're all responsible for our own drinking behaviour, blaming it on nameless corporations and straw men from the industry, is denying your own acountability

Thanks for your well wishes, Piero. I really appreciate your kind words. Still, I feel the need to state that I am not "going through a tough time" (alcoholism).

Everybody's body chemistry is different. For me, 1-2 drams per day (1.5 to 3 ounces) took a significant toll on my health over three years or so. I have a very rare blood type and my doctor says that probably has something to do with the fact that the whisky adversely affected my health to the point of helping to precipitate health problems that did not previously exist.

Writing online can indeed escalate tempers and impressions that would never happen in person. I must confess that the real reason I got upset in this discussion was a long time coming. No matter what I have tended to write in the discussions, my posts have often attracted multiple "thumbs downs" consistently. Yes, I know that some people have wanted me off this site for some time and their persistent needling did eventually hit the mark.

These consistent "thumbs downs" must have been related to grudges some members held with me personally, rather than in relation to what I was always writing. Some things just could have attracted such reactions otherwise. So, yes, I found this badgering to be quite irritating, and I'm sure that is what was intended. The "recent activity" feature makes such badgering quite easy to do, BTW.

This time around, in the present discussion, the "thumbs downs" piled up long before I engaged in a bit of playful banter with Nozinan, our favorite Doc from Canada. Shortly after I posted the initial discussion, there were, at one point early-on, three or four "thumbs downs" (for the initial discussion). In fact, if I hadn't been badged by the earlier thumbs downs, I probably would not have even written much of anything after I gave my choices for the Golden Keyboard Awards. Those "thumbs downs" got under my skin this time, probably due to the fact that I would really have liked to have been sipping on a dram of delicious scotch instead of a bloody gadsdamned glass of magnesium supplement (on my Doc's advice). Take my word for it: Connosr is just not the same if you have been away from the delights of whisky for too long. Tonight I have already sipped two magnificent one ounce glasses that have gotten my spirits back up (Loki and Lagavulin 2012 Distiller's Edition). Sometimes you just have to say WTH.

At any rate, I'm ready to move on and do other things. Writing lively and original whisky reviews on Connosr, and keeping a whisky website of one's own, is indeed time consuming. I wish everyone well. I'm sorry that I ever initiated this discussion about the Golden Keyboards. I just thought it would be fun.

I will really miss all of my good friends here on Connosr and I'm very sad to leave but I think it's for the best. Happy Holidays to all. Cheers.

This is the most surreal thread I have read in a long time.

I just spotted the 2nd page and additional posts. Still a bit surreal but then threads often weave a path that was unknown and unplanned at conception. I love a good conspiracy theory but am not sure I can agree with the one about this site. I have met (face to face and virtually) members from this site over time and really value what it offers. Connosr has been an instrumental part of my whisky journey and hope it will continue to do so for a good while yet. Massive thumbs up.

@Rigmorole I wish you well and hope you stay around or at least come back to visit. I have enjoyed your reviews have even followed you on the whiskykirk from time to time. Communities are made up of a variety of personalities and I know the thumbs up/down system has bothered you for a while. Variety is the spice of life and it would be boring if everyone agreed with you all of the time. After all, we all like different Whiskies and those differences are what bring us together here.

I wasn't particularly keen of the idea of the best reviewer, not against it but it didn't ring my bell. I certainly didn't thumbs down the post. It was nothing personal but I do prefer the idea of the best review (singular). Maybe from all of this it may be something that we as a community think about towards the end of this year. I for one would be happy to vote on the best review of 2014 (no prizes except pride). My reviews vary from Basic and fairly perfunctory to ones where I have more time and put in more thought. I tend to review for my own reference but I do enjoy feedback (good and bad) you may find the spin off of a review comp means there are some really interesting and conversation starting reviews.

@tjb

perhaps if the rebooted site allows thumbs for reviews, there can be a yearly "most popular review"

and, if it's really important to choose a Best reviewer, the site could count the thumbs up for all the reviewers and choose the one that has the most.

Just came back from a self imposed hiatus to find this discussion thread. Needless to say I'm a little surprised at how quickly this got out of hand. I think our love for the spirit and deep appreciation of each others' contribution is grounds enough to let even the silliest thing bounce off our thick skins.

I vote for a return to normalcy as I deeply respect all my colleagues' opinions and enjoy reading all the diverse reviews and opinions. Which is what frankly makes a community a community.

Right. I'm off to post another review ;-)

PS - in my humble opinion @Victor would win this one hands down. No discussion. My other esteemed colleagues a close second. But @Victor for my pick.

@MaltActivist I'll second that. I don't write reviews myself, but I do pay attention consistently to a handful of excellent and credible reviewers, Victor being my number one go to guy.

I feel a bit sad for Rigmorole, it appears he may have some issues that he needs to resolve. I will not miss the paranoid ravings and conspiracy theories that he brought to this forum. I have pulled back from participation in the discussions lately because I do not like some of the nastiness and ad hominem attacks that have become a bit too frequent. It's about the whisky, we all love it, and we don't all have to agree about it all the time. I will now start to participate again and hope that we can all maintain a level of civility in our comments and respect each others opinions.

Cheers to all and many thanks to Pierre and Jean-Luc for all they do for the whisky community.

@BlueNote I just gave you a thumbs up on your post. Excellent whisky is a gentleman's drink and we should all (myself included) try to bear that in mind when responding to other members' posts. It is sometimes too easy to see fault and criticize rather than draw out the positives. I do frequent other sites but always feel that Connosr is my "Whisky" homesite. My only wish is that there was more participation from time to time. Welcome back and will look forward to your posts again.

@Jonesz Thanks brother. I too frequent a variety of sites and like you, I consider Connosr to be where the best and brightest gather to talk whisk(e)y. Good to be back, it's a brand new day.

@BlueNote and @Jonesz: Funny, I was just saying the same thing in response to that recent "Connosr reboot video." I get around on the whisky web, but Connosr feels like home.

Personally, I don't particularly like the thumbs down rating and the use of it shown in this thread (and generally). Although i see the appeal of giving a thumbs up to something that you agree with, it just seems very negative to voice a criticism of any contribution that you don't like, and I can see how people may take this as being quite hostile, and how it may make them quite defensive and irritable. It's a bit Boo! Get off! attitude as far as I see it. Just a vote for a bit less negativity, and a better way to engage with people that you disagree with.

You've got a point there AndyC. Perhaps it should be eliminated. I'll have to think about it a bit more. The problem might be that the thumbs down comes with no explanation. Maybe it's better just to reply to the post with a positive or negative comment explaining why you agree or disagree (in the most polite way, of course).

I think this thread is hilarious! Does that mean there's something wrong with me!?

@rigmorole, seriously brother, don't stop contributing to the site. Sure, you've ruffled the feathers of more than a few members, sure there are many who take issue with your posts... Who cares??

Personally, I think you're entertaining as hell and you often raise some very valid points.

@rigmorole Err, no need for doubt there guy - @Piero and @Jean-Luc totally put Connosr together from scratch. No consipracy or cabal - just a couple of whisky-lovin' guys with some great tech skills and business acumen.

Thanks @jasonbstanding, I feel like we've now been independently *verified :)

@Nozinan and @AndyC we'll share some thoughts on how we plan to improve on the current "thumbs" system across the site in an up coming entry on the Reboot Video Diary www.connosr.com/blog/reboot/ I agree that it can be much improved.

Markjedi hands down, sometimes I get the idea that more than half of all the reviews here are his. Even though our taste is not the same (Auchentoshan is 1 of my least favorite) I commend the sheer volume and objectiveness

I would like all of my reviews to be removed from Connosr ASAP. The sooner, the better. I want nothing to do with this site. It has been a complete waste of my time and energy.

@rigolote For the first time I feau for you! Please talk to someone! I feel I have to be blunt and I have to say that if you have thé blues or if you feel suicidal GET SOME HELP! Idon't care what people will say, you are my priority. YOU ARE IMPORTANT!

As requested by Rigmorole we are in the process of deactivating his account and we wish him all the best for the future.

I believe this is an appropriate point to close this thread. If anyone is interested in continuing the topic of a community reviewer award in the future, please start a fresh discussion.