What bourbon are you drinking in Australia? - Summer 2013

[Robbie BTAC]

Australian Customs are a joke 3 bottles customs charge of $339 they Are good bottles Single barrel 2013 Four Roses 125th bottle and Rock Hill single barrel can not believe it. Next time will get relatives to send with low value it works out at nearly 90% tax. Anyone imported before who got charges like to share just so I'm not get stung ?

[Vietish]

That is pretty harsh. More than harsh actually.

Its one of the main reasons I am hesitant to order anything from overseas.

I rather try and hunt around the local shops and stumble onto something. The Rock Hills Farm I managed to find. So things are out there. Just need to keep looking.

[Robbie BTAC]

Agree, have asked for to see charges as I think the broker is pulling a fast one on me as it's 10% GTS 5% Duty and $78.44 for all drinks due to vol alc per ltr.

[Guest]

customs.gov.au/tariff/tariff2012.asp

Yeh defintely do that, something seems very wrong.

The tarriff on whiskey is for 5% of the value and $78.44 per litre of alcohol/ethanol plus GST.

So a 750ml of 50% alc. whiskey should be $29 (plus duty and GST)

I dont know how GST is applied though, is it applied after the duty and tarriff have been added? Even so a $50 bottle of 100 proof should only cost an additional $40 or so dollars.

Honestly sounds to me like they are charging you the value of the bottle as part of the GST calcualtion, rather than the GST component alone, tell them you have already paid for the whiskey and to check their sums.

[Guest]

Couldnt help myself, got some Ritt today from Dans, $79.

DSP 354 Juice, old label.

[Robbie BTAC]

I have asked DHL or the original invoice from customs with all the charges broken down. The cost was $346 for all 3 bottles so 5 % of total is $17.30 plus $74.33 plus shipping insurance $75.00 total is $166.63 plus $346 is $512.63 plus 10% $51.26 so if I am right it's $166.63 plus $51.26 is $217.89 customs charges does that sound right ? They want $369 big difference DHL

[bjbronwyn]

I was bringing in 80-90pf bottles a year or two ago paying $30 -35 customs per bottle, at the time I thought I was getting ripped off!

[Vietish]

Couldnt help myself, got some Ritt today from Dans, $79.

DSP 354 Juice, old label.

[Guest]

A new label has just been released for the US market.

Before that, probably over a year or so, the distillate changed from brown-forman (DSP-354) to heaven hill (DSP-1)

Which makes me think Dans have bought out all the old stock from the national distributor, probably as part of the deal to become the national distributor themselves, which would mean exclsuive distribution of the new label, hopefully at a new and cheaper price.

Oh yeh DSP is basically a batch number that appears on the bottle.

[camduncan]

I have asked DHL or the original invoice from customs with all the charges broken down. The cost was $346 for all 3 bottles so 5 % of total is $17.30 plus $74.33 plus shipping insurance $75.00 total is $166.63 plus $346 is $512.63 plus 10% $51.26 so if I am right it's $166.63 plus $51.26 is $217.89 customs charges does that sound right ? They want $369 big difference DHL

[camduncan]

I have asked DHL or the original invoice from customs with all the charges broken down. The cost was $346 for all 3 bottles so 5 % of total is $17.30 plus $74.33 plus shipping insurance $75.00 total is $166.63 plus $346 is $512.63 plus 10% $51.26 so if I am right it's $166.63 plus $51.26 is $217.89 customs charges does that sound right ? They want $369 big difference DHL

[MauiSon]

$75 for insurance? Doesn't your credit card insure your purchase?

[camduncan]

They should Ed, but I think it's more the retailers won't ship unless you pay for 'their' insurance.... I guess it guarantees them if the shipment goes missing..

[Robbie BTAC]

Had a big long chat to DHL today they sent me the invoice and they were trying to charge me for one of the bottles 4 times the amount of duty due to there error of not reading the correct amount inside the bottle of 70cl but 3-4 ltrs as the other 2 were charged at $34 each not very happy. I did also find out that Australian customs do not check the good they use there own team as i asked for the original customs document forms on headed paper lol. Do check all paper work from any shipper.

[Sydney BJW]

Yeah sorry for the crappy photos. I will blame the GF for that

I am not sure of the alc. But I will find out.

I really need to get a bottle of the Bulleit 10yr. I keep reading how you guys rate it. But for some reason, no store I go has it.

Also, vintage has Knob Creek for 74, which is 10 bucks cheaper than Dans.

Also again! Dan's is now stocking Rittenhouse.

Vietish, I think the Kemps Creek store has the Bulleit 10 year old. I didn't check the price though. The IGA at Wakeley has it every time I have been there recently. It was $50 the first time I brought one as an introductory special. The last few times I have brought it, it has been $60.

[Sydney BJW]

Had a big long chat to DHL today they sent me the invoice and they were trying to charge me for one of the bottles 4 times the amount of duty due to there error of not reading the correct amount inside the bottle of 70cl but 3-4 ltrs as the other 2 were charged at $34 each not very happy. I did also find out that Australian customs do not check the good they use there own team as i asked for the original customs document forms on headed paper lol. Do check all paper work from any shipper.

I have always wanted to buy some bottles from overseas and was worried about taxes. I hope they sort it out for you.

[Robbie BTAC]

I hope so just waiting on a call now, customs released them so who knows once I know total cost I'll put it up here to show everyone if ever they decide to buy some bits

[Vietish]

If I was to buy from overseas, I would make sure it would be so cheap it wouldnt worry me if I did get stung.

I am glad your working it out Robbie. I could only imagine the shock on reading the bill.

Sitting down and sipping some ETL. I am on a real BT kick atm. Which I am so not complaining about.

[Robbie BTAC]

I am just glad I asked for the full run down of the charges, I can not wait to be sipping on the four roses single barrel

[Guest]

Enjoy it mate, you will feel like a kid on christmas tearing apart the packaging.

I remember my first consignment from TWE about 3 years ago, I got a ORVW107, ancient age 10 year, OGBBIB and VSOF12, I got the box home and had all four open and in glasses within 10 minutes, defintely a fun experience sourcing booze internationally.

[TunnelTiger]

It's amazing how our two governments are supposed to be working for us always seem to be working against us citizens.

Should be free trade across the board.

[Duxnutz]

Loving this bottle of High West Rendesvous Rye (US sourced).

[Vietish]

Mate, if you like it and want it again, let me know as I know of three shops, maybe four in sydney that stock it. Which might make it easier than getting it posted.

[deathevocation]

Four Roses Small Batch.

[camduncan]

Got to try some Jim Beam Signature Craft, Woodford Reserve Four Wood and Crown Royal Maple Finish over the weekend. All superb in their own way. And, thanks to 30+ hours in the air in a metal tube, I'm fighting a cold, so drank lots of Jim Beam and Wild Turkey Honey.... for medicinal purposes