Bourbon buying question traveling in Asia

[Kepler]

The girlfriend is taking a trip overseas to China, Hong Kong, and also Vietnam.   Does anybody know if they have any bourbons there that I can't get in the States?  

 

For example, I know Wild Turkey had their 101 in a 12-year variety available in Japan, but I don't know in the current NAS climate if that is still being sold at all anywhere.  I think she has a layover in Japan but only for a couple of hours so probably confined to duty-free shops only in Japan.

But Hong Kong and China liquor stores should be options.

 

Anybody have any advice or know where I can look this stuff up?  Thanks

[flahute]

Duty free in Japan will not likely yield favorable results. (I tried a year and a half ago). I did find 8 year age stated WT101 in China. It wasn't easy though.

[Kepler]

Thanks for the info Flahute. 

[jsrudd]

Bourbon isn't really popular in Asia (especially in SE Asia) outside of Japan. 

 

Your best bet would be widely distributed export-only bottles like WT8 and Blanton's Green, Gold and SFTB. I don't think the current WT8 is really worth looking for. The Blanton's is likely hard to find.  

[DonutsNBourbon]

I looked at the duty free in Japan when I passed through Narita and all I saw was IW Harper 12 (I think it was 12 year and definitely not 15) and some other stuff that was unremarkable, but this was last August.  I was tempted by the japanese whiskey though like yamazaki and hibiki, but ended up passing on it.

[Kepler]

On ‎6‎/‎23‎/‎2016 at 2:14 AM, jsrudd said:

Bourbon isn't really popular in Asia (especially in SE Asia) outside of Japan. 

 

Your best bet would be widely distributed export-only bottles like WT8 and Blanton's Green, Gold and SFTB. I don't think the current WT8 is really worth looking for. The Blanton's is likely hard to find.  

Thanks jsrudd.  It makes sense that the WT8 is not really worth looking for, it should be practically the same as the 101 sold here. But the WT 12 year is intriguing to me. As is the Blanton's SFTB and Gold. 

Thanks for your feedback.

[jsrudd]

On 6/25/2016 at 3:36 PM, Kepler said:

 But the WT 12 year is intriguing to me. 

Finding WT12 is likely to be very difficult because it hasn't been produced since 2013. In searching throughout Tokyo for the last couple of years, I've come across less than 12 bottles (most of which I purchased). Who knows, though, you may get lucky. 

[Kepler]

Thanks I didn't know they quit making it but not surprised at all.

[B.B. Babington]

rather than american, could always go the opposite route and try the finer local stuff?

[berto]

HK had nothing special last time I was there.  I'd be wary of fakes in China.    

[NightCru]

On 6/26/2016 at 9:39 PM, Kepler said:

Thanks I didn't know they quit making it but not surprised at all.

They replaced it with a 13 year old but dropped the proof from 101 to 90.  I have a bottle of the 13 year and enjoy it but really as more of a novelty.  If it's easy to get I would do it but I wouldn't go out of my way for it.  

 

I am a big fan of the Four Roses Super Premium (platinum label) that you can only get in Japan.  It's not a mind blowing bourbon but it's the oakiest 4R I've ever had and that alone makes it worth it if you are a fan of Four Roses.  

[jsrudd]

12 hours ago, NightCru said:

They replaced it with a 13 year old but dropped the proof from 101 to 90.  I have a bottle of the 13 year and enjoy it but really as more of a novelty.  If it's easy to get I would do it but I wouldn't go out of my way for it.  

I think the 13 year is pretty bad (especially given how expensive it is). It has a great nose, but it can't compare with the 12 year. On the box for the 13 year, it says the barrels came from the bottom of the rickhouse. This means slower aging and a decrease in proof. My guess is that this is the reason for the lower proof.

 

I don't think the 13 year is available outside of Japan. 

 

12 hours ago, NightCru said:

I am a big fan of the Four Roses Super Premium (platinum label) that you can only get in Japan.  It's not a mind blowing bourbon but it's the oakiest 4R I've ever had and that alone makes it worth it if you are a fan of Four Roses.  

 

I'm pretty sure you can't get this outside of Japan. I've never seen it in my travels around Asia.

Edited June 30, 2016 by jsrudd

[NightCru]

20 hours ago, jsrudd said:

I think the 13 year is pretty bad (especially given how expensive it is). It has a great nose, but it can't compare with the 12 year. On the box for the 13 year, it says the barrels came from the bottom of the rickhouse. This means slower aging and a decrease in proof. My guess is that this is the reason for the lower proof.

 

I don't think the 13 year is available outside of Japan. 

 

 

I'm pretty sure you can't get this outside of Japan. I've never seen it in my travels around Asia.

Yea, neither are available outside of Japan.  I'm not sure what the duty free situation is there, I thought they would be worth keeping an eye out for in a duty free shop.