If you are traveling abroad, what bottle of bourbon would you bring back?

[kickert]

Thanks for the perspective Kickert. I'm not sure how much time I'll have to myself while I'm there, since my reason for going is for work. Plus, any free time I have, I might not want to spend looking for bourbon. I also will be relying on cabs for transportation. I will probably spend some time in a few grocery stores as part of my job. Do they have liquor stores connected to the grocery stores or sold inside of the grocery stores there? How is the selection?

Thanks for the duty free/US connection reminder. I've gotten screwed in the past. Hopefully my mind will be clear enough to remember after the long flight back to the States.

I haven't been to Cape Town, so I can't give you specific information. There are nice private bottle shops, and then many of the major grocery chains (Pick-N-Pay, Spar, Checkers, Shoprite) will usually sell wine in the store, and then have a separate but attached bottle shop.

[c2walker]

Actually, if you are in Cape Town, your best bet is going to be to try and pick up some of the older premium releases that have long been missing from shelves in the states, but haven't yet been snatched up. I muled quite a few seasonal releases that were several years old from a friend last year.

That friend you muled for looked long and hard to make sure there weren't any more older seasonals to be snatched up by others! Outside of the 2005 WLWs, I agree that Southern Africa doesn't have much to offer on the American whiskey front.

[humchan2k]

If I was in Japan, I'd bring back WT 12 for sure and then some Blanton's SFTB, but not Four Roses Platinum.....I don't care for it. The IW Harper 12 also has my favorite bottle design, so grab one of those too

Europe - If in Paris, definitely Blanton's Paris editions. If not Paris, Blanton's SFTB all day, baby.

[bin31z]

If I was in Japan, I'd bring back WT 12 for sure and then some Blanton's SFTB, but not Four Roses Platinum.....I don't care for it. The IW Harper 12 also has my favorite bottle design, so grab one of those too

Europe - If in Paris, definitely Blanton's Paris editions. If not Paris, Blanton's SFTB all day, baby.

I can't wait to be in Japan. Blantons sftb is about 40 bucks at current conversion rate!!!!!

[Ravensfire]

I can't wait to be in Japan. Blantons sftb is about 40 bucks at current conversion rate!!!!!

Wow! Now we just need to find a retailer in Japan with a website that will ship to the US. If I ever find one, my wife would NOT be happy, and Blanton's is her favorite bourbon!

[bin31z]

They do but its almost 50 bucks a bottle. This may be still worth it but not such a good deal anymore. The website is also hard to use and require strange registration process for US customers but they do ship. Can't wait to visit the shop "Shinonoya" it has an insane bourbon and scotch collection. On the bourbon front, they have wild turkey 12 (50 bucks), wild turkey 13 (55 bucks), SFTB (40 bucks). Going to try to grab at least 3 blanton's and 2 each of the wild turkeys. I have a hardsided suitcase just for bourbon.

Wow! Now we just need to find a retailer in Japan with a website that will ship to the US. If I ever find one, my wife would NOT be happy, and Blanton's is her favorite bourbon!

[Tucker]

I can't wait to be in Japan. Blantons sftb is about 40 bucks at current conversion rate!!!!!

It's strange that they price the SFTB so much lower than the Gold. I see that here and it was the same at Hasegawa.

[Lepisto]

I don't have a hard sided suitcase. Besides wrapping the bottles heavily in clothes is there anything else that would be advised for safe transport?

[Clavius]

I don't have a hard sided suitcase. Besides wrapping the bottles heavily in clothes is there anything else that would be advised for safe transport?

Wrap 'em in more clothes!

Trust me, years ago I worked at Dulles airport loading and unloading luggage from planes.

[bin31z]

It's strange that they price the SFTB so much lower than the Gold. I see that here and it was the same at Hasegawa.

Yea it's like half of the cost of gold. So strange, as far as I am aware, gold is not a special selection of blantons, just a higher proof version of normal and sit between standard and sftb.

[kickert]

I don't have a hard sided suitcase. Besides wrapping the bottles heavily in clothes is there anything else that would be advised for safe transport?

I like to seal then lid with electrical tape (especially with screw tops). I also make sure I heavily support the neck of the bottle. Make sure you lay it inline with the "rails" of your suitcase so there isn't a hard single point of contact. Then, the most import part: PRAY!

[kickert]

That friend you muled for looked long and hard to make sure there weren't any more older seasonals to be snatched up by others! Outside of the 2005 WLWs, I agree that Southern Africa doesn't have much to offer on the American whiskey front.

Ha! You would know! The one thing that has changed since I first moved here is that because the strength of the Rand has dropped, the relative cost of US bottles has dropped.

[camduncan]

I've been bringing bottles home to Australia in my case for 10 years now and have never had a breakage or leak. I always put them zip lock bags, then put them in padded wine bottle bags I take with me from home (the type you'd take bottles to a byo establishment in). As long as they're well surrounded with clothes and the neck is supported they are usually fine.

Having said that, this trip (Singapore) is the first time I'm trying to pack a bottle of Blantons (SFTB).. So will post next week if my system fails

[greatgoo]

I have a friend flying to London with a connecting flight in Toronto. Any chance they would see Blanton's SFTB in duty free store?

[davidg07]

Does anyone have any suggestions for where to find Blanton's SFTB in the Munich or Zurich areas? I found the WT 8yo, but so far haven't seen any Blanton's.

[Andre28]

Does anyone know much about the availability at Hong Kong airport? Have a friend that can pick me up a bottle on the way back home, but have no idea what is available.

[bin31z]

Almost nothing. No market for bourbon in that market, mostly single malt and blended scotch.

Does anyone know much about the availability at Hong Kong airport? Have a friend that can pick me up a bottle on the way back home, but have no idea what is available.

[Andre28]

Thanks for that ^. Might just get him to grab some JD silver select in Sydney maybe, or some Kentucky Spirit. I can't really remember what else we have down here!

[flahute]

bin31z, you must travel a lot as you seem to be familiar with the far east airports.

Do you know if anything good can be found in the Tokyo airport? I have a layover there in two weeks.

Can anything good be found in China? (My final destination - I'll be there for two weeks).

[Andre28]

They have IW Harper which as far as i know is Japan only export. The juice in it is ok, nothing too exceptional, but the bottle is a keeper

[bin31z]

Most asian airports are hurting for choices are far as bourbon is concerned. If you are a scotch fan, the choices are almost endless, there is always a huge collection of travel retail scotches that are experimental. I know Japanese specialty stores have a good selection of JDM bourbons but not too sure about the airport selection, I think airports will sometimes have the Wild Turkey 8 yr, JD silver, and maybe Blanton's SFTB. I doubt china will have anything, they are a cognac/scotch market.

bin31z, you must travel a lot as you seem to be familiar with the far east airports.

Do you know if anything good can be found in the Tokyo airport? I have a layover there in two weeks.

Can anything good be found in China? (My final destination - I'll be there for two weeks).

[bin31z]

I've seen this as well. I haven't heard anything great about it, but the bottle is interesting.

They have IW Harper which as far as i know is Japan only export. The juice in it is ok, nothing too exceptional, but the bottle is a keeper

[garbanzobean]

If I have to choose between another FR platinum/WT 12 or a neat bottle, yeah . . .

[Lepisto]

At the Amsterdam airport right now, waiting to head to South Africa. Not much here. I saw Jim Beam and Woodford.

[bmajazz]

Here are some photos from LAX. Outbound nothingn exciting save for JD silver select. Expensive too: you can find all this stuff at local shops for comparable prices.