Bourbons available when travelling

[camduncan]

I just read the post re Makers Mark Black label, and it reminded me of some questions I have for anyone who has travelled recently & purchased Bourbon in a foreign market or airport...

We're off to Britain in October for 3 weeks - We have a night stop over in Singapore on the way, and 2 nights in Tokyo on the way back. Australian customs say we can bring 2 1 litre bottles each back into the country duty free - so that's approx 4 bottles I can look for. (they aren't to strict if some of the bottles are 1.125 litre)

Has anyone here travelled recenly, to these or any other countries, and if so, what (if any) Bourbon finds did you come across?

[camduncan]

Well, my partner is off to Bankok next month for work.

She's offered to bring me back a bottle or 2 of bourbon

I guess my wish list is (in order of priority) -

- anything Van Winkle

- Buffalo Trace

- Blantons

- Wild Turkey Freedom

- Bookers

- Makers Mark Black Label

As I'm not sure what else is available in the Asian export market, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

[welshman]

I'm here in Tokyo, and you can get pretty much the lot listed on your preference list. It's surprisingly cheap, too, considering everyone's stereotype about how pricey this town is. I just got a 750ml bottle of Blanton's for about 25 US dollars, a 750 ml bottle of Russell's Reserve for about $40, and a bottle of Eagle Rare for $50.

If you need directions to some good Tokyo bottle-shops, just drop me a line,

WM

[doubleblank]

Here's an update from Paris. Bar's have JD and Four Roses for about $9 per. Liquor stores carry Four Roses, JD, JD Single Barrel and MM. I have found Blanton's Gold and splurged for one only. Still looking for Four Roses Single Barrel. Not missing good bourbon much though.....sitting outside at a cafe with a cold beer or glass of wine watching the pretty ladies go by isn't so bad. FYI.....Val is on a cruise with our youngest as she didn't seem too interested in Paris....I'm here with my 15yo daughter. Hope to find something interesting at Paris Duty Free when I return home.

Randy B

[Gillman]

Randy, on Boul. Port Royal is the long-established Academie de la Biere, a beer bar that specialises in French beers (and Belgian) from the North of France, the classic ale country around Lille. It is not a fancy place but a local hang-out for students and other assorted Left Bank types. It is halfway down that boulevard from Montmartre, halfway down to where the Port Royal ends that is. You would turn left onto Port Royal when walking up from boul. St-Germain. Your daughter might like it, and the mussels and frites are some of the best in Paris. Ask for a "biere de garde" which is the fine ale-type beer of the North of France, some good names are Castelain, Jenlain, Choulette.

And so many great wine bars there that sell Beaujolais in unlabelled bottles, the real "zinc" bars that are not always easy to find. Ask your hotel to recommend "un vrai zinc qui vend le Beaujolais dans des bouteilles sans etiquettes". The proprietor bottles them himself (from barrels) in the basement, vous voyez... I've got a list of them and can supply names if give me some coordinates but your hotel will (should) know. These bars get awards called "Meilleur Pot" (best glass), e.g. Meilleur Pot 2000, and they are posted on the door as you go in - that is always a sign it is a good "zinc". Anyway, a great town (let's set aside politics for a minute), and you can't far wrong there.

Gary

[doubleblank]

Gary....Thanks for the info, particularly the "beer acdamy" . We stayed on Rue St. Germain and I found the place no problem. It was good to drink something other than 1664/Carlsberg/Heineken. Moules and frites are my standard lunch fare in Paris and had them too.

Back to bourbon....never found much of interest anywhere in Paris including the CdG Airport. In many bars, your choice is Four Roses or Four Roses. Otherwise its Four Roses or JD. In a small (but very nice) bar in Amboise in the Loire Valley their only bourbon was WT 8yo, like what we used to get here in the US. When I ordered one, I got a few questioning glances from the locals...as in "what is that stuff?" Anyway, never saw the Four Roses SB. My only bourbon prize is the Blanton's Gold.

As far as traveling in France, we were treated very well, my Texas accent not withstanding. This was my fourth trip there and found the people friendlier than ever.

Randy

[doubleblank]

Gary....Just got back from visiting your wonderful country. Traveled the Canadian Rockies and hit the first weekend of Stampede. YEEEE HAAAAAW. Anyway, the Banff Springs Hotel bar overlooking the Bow River has a pretty good bourbon list with an interesting twist. You can "supersize" your pour. For example, the 1.5oz pour of Booker's is $10 ca....you can get it supersized to 2.5oz for $15ca. We, of course, supersized them. In Calgary we found several places with EWSB on their lists ('90 thru '93)....I don't even see that here in Houston.

BTW, skip Calgary's Duty Free....nothing there but WT 8yo.

Randy B.

[Gillman]

Glad you had a good time, Randy!

Did you find the Western atmosphere (I mean the cowboy heritage and culture) similar to what is found in Texas and the Southwest, or was it different and if so, how?

You mean you tasted no Canadian rye whisky??

Did you try a Bloody Caesar at least, the "quintessential" Canadian cocktail?

[doubleblank]

Gary...I've been to the Stampede many times and always have a great time. Generally, the western culture (music, dress, rodeo activities, attitudes, etc) is similar to ours in Texas. But at the Stampede, they take partying to another level. Where else are you served gin and orange juice with your pancake breakfast at 7am? Ever heard of a "Wiggle In"? They put 100 new pairs of Wrangler jeans in the middle of the rodeo arena. Everyone is invited to remove their own jeans and at the sound of the horn, leap off the fence and try to find a pair that fits. If the judges agree that they fit, they're yours free. I ran out of film watching all those pretty ladies wigglin into the jeans.

I did enjoy many Canadian ryes there, but my Canadian friends were very impressed with a Black Maple Hill 18yo rye I brought with me. I also drank a lot of local beers including Big Rock, etc. And of course, we had a lot of Ceasars. Mott's Clamato Juice is a big sponsor at the Stampede.

Randy B

[Gillman]

Hey, most interesting! I never heard of that jeans thing. Looks like western culture has evolved in some unique ways in Canada. Based on your knowledge of Canadiana, Randy I'd say you are an honorary Canuck!

Gary

[TNbourbon]

You are going to post some of those "Wiggle In" pix, aren't you?

Pleeeaaassse!

[doubleblank]

Hey All........Down in Buenos Aires on my way to Cordoba for some dove hunting. Bagged a couple of birds in DFW Duty Free (dom). Tried some last night and it´s pretty good.

Also found some "Old Huckleberry" at a fun bar near the hotel. It was pretty dusty and the beautiful bartender wiped it clean before she let me see it. "Distilled and aged in the old Confederate town of Bardstown, Nelson County, Kentucky.....Aged at least four summers". It was in a 70cl square sided bottle. Looked pretty pale next to the WT 8yo (which was what I was drinking). Bartender couldn´t remember when the last person ordered any. They even had an unopened bottle they were quite willing to sell. I passed as I had my limit of Freedom.

Randy

[TNbourbon]

Just returned from 'down Mexico way', via Carnival to Playa del Carmen and Cozumel. Nothing special there bourbon-wise. JB white (and, tangentially, JD black) seems to be the standard. I did find a liter of JB Black (8yo, 86 proof) in a cannister for $15.50 right next to an otherwise-identical 'naked' one priced at $18. Alas, I passed (knowing I'd regret it later) because of its bulk. Luggage space was premium.

Other deals, either onboard or on land:

• [*]Crown Royal (regular): 2 1-liter bottles for $32.95

[*]750ml bottles Johnny Walker Blue Label for $114.95; Black Label 2 for $43; Red Label 2 for $25

[*]Every tequila you've (n)ever heard of, cheap (e.g., Don Julio gold, $44)

[*]Kahlua 750ml $9

Plenty of other good prices, too, on too many things that just don't appeal to me.

[TNbourbon]

I know for a lot of people, Tennessee doesn't qualify as 'travel' but, as a bourbon hunter, there is game in the woods. Had the day off today, so I went stalking -- bagged an intact 3-pack of 2003 Stagg (got the case discount: $40.50 per, plus sales tax, of course. He still had at least 6 more bottles) and two split-label WT12s. Also saw -- but was by then penniless -- five Jimmy Russell Tributes (2 @ $79.99, 3 @ $89.99). Additionally, a whole row (6-7 bottles) of gold, wax-topped, Hirsch 16yo, and a stock of all the BMHs (even the rye) except the 21yo.

Hope lives!

[musher]

Wow! I'm always amazed to hear about people finding older Stagg out there. It's almost enough to make me wish I lived down there instead of up here (almost).

I wonder why the Tribute bottles were priced differently. That doesn't make any sense to me.

[TNbourbon]

The one with the lower price is an old, old family business, sharing a parking lot with a mini-market belonging to the same family. Thus, I suspect they own the property outright, and have no mortgage/rent costs that most other stores have. Since I know the liquor store where I work part-time has fixed costs daily related to building costs, I've always assumed that's the reason this old Nashville store always is a dollar or two below its competitors.

Additionally, he never seems to increase the price of anything once it's on the shelves. For example, he also has a pair of Lawrenceburg (1st bottling) Pappy 20yos for $75.99. In April, I bought a Pappy 23 (original bottling) there for $142.99.

If he can live with those prices, I sure can.

The store with the higher prices, though -- which sits in a wealthier neighborhood -- had five bottles left of the original Ridgewood Reserve 1792 selling for $19.99 each. The storeowner and I just shook our head that: 1)the distributor never picked them up despite the court order; and 2)nobody realizes that's a great price for a soon-to-be-extinct rarity.

[musher]

I see. I had misread it so that I thought you were saying that the two different prices were in the same store. Now I can see how it can read the other way . . . Makes more sense that way.

[camduncan]

G'day all from an Aussie in London

I've been checking out some of the bourbons here that are not available in Australia...

I managed to pick up a bottle of Old Rip Van Winkle 10yo and a bottle of the Family Reserve Rye. Had to pass on the 20yo as it was just too expensive when converted back (they wanted £100 for it)

These all came from RoyalMile Whiskies..

The Australian duty free allowance means I can take another 2 bottles back into the country without paying tax, so I'm trying to track down a bottle of Stagg, but it seems there is none in the country at the moment (according to one of the shops)

So, I'm not sure what else to get - I may wait until we stopover in Japan on the way home next week to see what I can find....unless anyone here has some suggestions?

Also, can anyone recommend other good shops here to buy bourbon?

[Gillman]

I suggest looking at the selections at Vintage House on Old Compton Road, or Milroy in Greek Street, both Soho of course. Milroy is a personal favourite, plus you can taste downstairs those you don't buy.

Gary

[pete_d]

Heya Cam,

A friend told me (so I'm not sure if it's true or not, but he does work in Law so it might well be) that the customs restriction for alcohol importing only applies if the bottles are sealed. If brought back as hand luggage or similar (after partial consumption) you won't get slugged with any custom duty.

Might want to investigate if you're tallying up the purchases...

I believe that BT is available in the UK, as is a good proportion of the Eagle Rare bottlings. Maybe try the ER10 101 or SB. Milroy's was suggested by a Buffalo Trace rep as a gret store. Haven't the slightest as to where it is though...

[Gillman]

Take a gambol through www.vintagehouse.co.uk, wow. Over 30 bourbons and other straight whiskies, many not available or common in North America (e.g. Old Samuels, 3 types of "KBD", Johnny Drum, Old Bardstown). Old Fitzgerald 1845 and the Old Fitzgerald 12 year old are available at good prices, so is Rittenhouse Rye (12 pounds sterling, not bad), etc. This is a great spirits store, the Sam's of London, in my opinion. Milroy is good too but different. Both are fun to browse in and they are 10 minutes walk from the other.

Gary

[RedVette]

Impressive selection. Looks like the prices on the lower priced stuff is pretty close to US except that it is in pounds instead of dollars so that makes it almost double the US in price. The spread on the higher price stuff is a little narrower at about 1 and half times US.

[camduncan]

Ended up getting a bottle of Buffalo Trace (from Harrods of all places for a reasonable price) and a couple of minatures from royal mile whiskeys in London..

Am saving room for one (....strech to 2) bottles for what I can find in Japan

Am still looking for a bottle of Stagg

[camduncan]

Well, here's the final tally. Unfortunately, I didn't find any more bourbons after I left London

I made the mistake of passing on several good bottles in the hope of finding a Stagg or Sezerac and didn't get anything more.

Here's what I did get though ....

[bobbyc]

Well, I haven't seen the 10 year in the Family Reserve bottle in Ky. That's an interesting find.