Would you break a law to acquire good bourbon?

[bourbonchef1189]

Back the early 1980's I was lucky enough to go on two raids of moonshine stills in Taylor Co. Ga. One was a 500 gallon operation. I Had a taste of that shine and I have to say it was very smooth. The old man running it was a true craftsman. I almost cried as we broke up that still.

[kbuzbee]

Back the early 1980's I was lucky enough to go on two raids of moonshine stills in Taylor Co. Ga. One was a 500 gallon operation. I Had a taste of that shine and I have to say it was very smooth. The old man running it was a true craftsman. I almost cried as we broke up that still.

I bet, ouch!

[LeNell]

As a retailer, I've struggled with this problem over and over. My standard speech is, "No, it is illegal for me to hard liquor ship out of state." Well, have I? What do you think? Friends, family, and the occassional plea that wins my heart over can answer that one. Have I had items shipped? Course. I don't sell anything in the store that hasn't been registered with the State, but I have had friends send me treats that I can't get here for my own personal consumption.

With the Commerce Clause issue and the Supreme Court ruling, folks keep getting confused thinking that now I can ship all over without an issue. Ain't that easy, as we know. I explain to folks that my problem, beyond the law, is that if I ship and it gets lost, we have to get creative to file a claim. If it breaks, and the package record is marked "alcohol", I have no way to file a claim. I had this happen with FedEx once. My brother works for UPS slinging boxes in a warehouse and has told me more than once how employees will spot something that seems like booze, rip open the box, steal the liquor, and throw the box in the "hazardous waste" pile.

When I worked for Sherry-Lehmann in Manhattan, I had to handle all the shipment complaints. Claims were filed as "broken glass samples" but now I hear S-L lost their UPS contract after getting busted from shipping hard liquor to a minor across state lines. They are big enough to bounce back from a big slap on the wrist from the liquor authority. I would probably be crushed financially.

[ratcheer]

I have received (and always turned down) several offers to send something to me that I had said I am unable to obtain in Alabama. Part of my motive, of course, is that I do not want to expose myself to a felony charge. But the main reason is that I would never forgive myself if a friend who was trying to help me were to be faced with a felony charge for doing it.

Tim

[TonyM]

Being a Single Malt Scotch fan, as well as Bourbon, I periodically have items shipped in to me, mainly because it's not readily availible here. In some cases, I can get Scotch and some Bourbon shipped cheaper than buying it in my Local Liquor Store. For someone like me, who buys in volume, I'm always looking for the best bargain.