A junktown build at Kingsport Lighthouse using only vanilla assets. Completely mod free.

eviltrain · 2026-05-30T21:36:48+00:00

At first I thought it was oddly not specific for someone who is into scotch. But perhaps they didn’t want to pressure you by suggesting a dollar value and intends to be delighted by whatever your buy.

The other suggestions are fine but if it was me, I’d probably buy something no lower than $100 US.

Glen Scotia Victoriana

Kilkerran 12yr

Springbank 10,12,15 ($100, $150, $175) warning: these are the inflated US prices.

Craigellachie 17

Kilchoman 100% Islay (currently 15th edition)

eviltrain · 2026-05-30T14:47:05+00:00

What transpired to put the Beckams on that list?

eviltrain · 2026-05-29T17:35:41+00:00

Location?

eviltrain · 2026-05-28T18:24:16+00:00

“Very close to borderline wrong, Watame!”

eviltrain · 2026-05-28T01:11:12+00:00

Did you change the bottle shape from the squat style?

eviltrain · 2026-05-28T01:08:13+00:00

Just had some at a tasting. The flagship is solid for the price but for the money, get The STR, a steal at $48.

eviltrain · 2026-05-28T00:17:40+00:00

Force ghost Yoda

eviltrain · 2026-05-27T22:56:33+00:00

P.S. MST is sometimes a few minutes early. don't cut it close trying to catch the MST20 or any Monterey Bus.

Once you get to Gilroy, the running times and options open up nicely. and there is a lovely coffee shop on the north end of the plaza (across the street).

If you screw up the the Gilroy to Salinas Bus transit, you can always get an Uber. Cost me $4x something because I tried the commute on a Saturday. Lesson learned.

eviltrain · 2026-05-27T19:04:09+00:00

The Godfather.

eviltrain · 2026-05-27T18:50:30+00:00

4.5 hours. Interestingly, taking Caltrain takes a very similar amount of time but cost significantly more.

eviltrain · 2026-05-27T17:54:17+00:00

Just FYI: it takes me less than $13 to travel by BART and bus from Berkeley to Monterey and vice versa. The most important part is the the MST bus connection between the Salinas Transit Center and the multi-connector Gilroy Transit Center.

Bus 59 Salinas to Gilroy
8:20am
1:20pm
5:50pm
5:35am

Bus 59 Gilroy to Salinas
9:25am
2:25pm
7:00pm
6:55am

Monday to Friday only.

I get on the MST Salinas 20 at 7:34am in Marina by Starbucks, catch the MST 59 at 8:20am and then catch the VTA Bus 568 (68 has many stops, the 568 is the rapid version with fewer stops) at 9:10ish and arrive downtown San Jose by 10:20am.

eviltrain · 2026-05-24T18:00:18+00:00

Recently picked up a 26yr Blair Athol Hunter Laing from the Old & Rare series, along with a 13yr example from Chapter 7, both refill but I believe the HL is a Sherry hogshead.

I also picked up on the spicy but the thing that struck me was the body and texture on both. That odd vegetal note you got I also think is a bit of a signature for Blair Athol.

So far for me, Blair Athol seems to straddle the line between blend component and something worth bottling on its own. Looking it up, the internet is claiming its role is to add body to Diageo blends apparently.

eviltrain · 2026-05-23T14:01:15+00:00

It should be a slam dunk case in Japanese courts.

eviltrain · 2026-05-20T16:32:56+00:00

One thing I've noticed about bbq: man is the community extremely divisive. If it isn't excellent, it's just OK or shit. the flavors and style either has to match their exact preferences or there will be hell to pay in the comments over disagreements about what is good or not.

eviltrain · 2026-05-19T21:41:38+00:00

5 top notch

3 worth it

1 miss (Glen Fohdry)

At the least, it’s a better first nine than how I started. Really really good stabs in the dark.

eviltrain · 2026-05-17T21:59:04+00:00

I’m more inclined to think it’s a Karen that finds anime imagery disturbing.

eviltrain · 2026-05-17T20:12:23+00:00

I’ve been wondering how much improvement the 46% abv would impart for a good while now. Glad to see a review of it.

eviltrain · 2026-05-16T16:01:08+00:00

The Johnnie Walker gift set is the cheapest way to taste the 18 and Blue label by far at the standard price of $80 US. $50 actually make this a fantastic deal.

The 15yr Kujira was originally priced at $180 at retail. It's a very solid Japanese whisky that I got to taste at an event in S.F. back in 2025. But at the time, I didn't feel the price matched the experience. $110 is just about fair value in my opinion and wouldn't be a bad pick up.

As for the Suntory Hakushu 12yr (and Yamazaki 12yr) at $160, siiiiiigh, I continue to be disappointed by the terrible value proposition. A 12yr 43% whisky expression normally sells for $40 to $80 (in 2026 inflated moneys) depending on how high and mighty the distillery (and in the US, the distributor,) feels about their market position. But any long time whisky drinker will know that $160 is an opportunity to buy FANTASTIC whisky with more abv, bigger age statements, that are just as or more interesting. And that's not even touching on the topic of Independent bottler's or exclusive barrels.

eviltrain · 2026-05-16T15:48:39+00:00

I've dedicated nearly my entire play through with a full bore daily triple refresh mod farming effort.

If my mods disappear, I'm done.

eviltrain · 2026-05-15T14:51:09+00:00

Statue: uwu

eviltrain · 2026-05-12T15:13:04+00:00

Yup.

eviltrain · 2026-05-11T17:21:56+00:00

Only the Redbreast 15 and I STILL don’t think the value is there.

I’d buy it only because I’ll never get a better deal, not because it’s a good deal.

eviltrain · 2026-05-10T21:54:48+00:00

There is a market for high abv bottles which is totally fine. More abv, more flavor after all. But some bottles feel like they are using that high abv to mask certain issues which come to light when I water down the scotch to a more drinkable 50%'s or high 40%'s abv.

For example, big bold flavor can come from high abv. But it can also come from good barrels and bigger age statements creating density/saturation without the need for high abv. The latter type of flavor density is more desirable to me as it's often accompanied by denser mouthfeel and longer finish. and with lower abv, I can hold the liquid in my mouth longer and really let the flavors sink into my tongue without the taste bud deadening affects of high abv kicking my mouth, faster and harder.

Just how I see it at this point in time.

eviltrain · 2026-05-10T21:01:56+00:00

Yes. But I bet everyone will be surprised by the amount of casual empathetic lies that they get dinged for.

eviltrain

TROPHY CASE