Wild Turkey Heritage Single Barrel...where to get?

[kbuzbee]

Being married to a Travel Agent, we tend to travel overseas twice a year on average, and Jen usually does another 2 or 3 trips a year for work.

I very rarely buy duty free alcohol now - unless there is something I specifically want or I'm getting it for someone else. Usually I try and buy something from the local shops at our destination.

When I came back from New Zealand in August, Australian Customs were VERY specific that they would charge if my allowance was over 2.25 litres, and they'd charge for the whole lot. They don't care if it's a duty free purchase or a legitimate purchase in another country either. I'd purchased 3 750ml bottles of Bourbon, so was under the limit - just.

You raise a great point that used to really confuse me. There is a difference between buying from a duty free shop (which avoids the duty in the country of purchase) and duty free allowance (how much you can bring in to your country before you have to pay duty on it). These are two seperate issues that can both work for you or both work against you. In your example, since you buy at local stores, you are paying their taxes (duty) but if you are under your AU limit, you aren't paying AU duty. OTOH, if you bought 5L from a duty free shop, you would not pay local duty but AU would take their cut.

I HATE TAXES!

Ken

[NorCalBoozer]

after some more research I see that some of the DFS Galleria stores are not actually in the international airports. some are in local shopping areas. There is one in Hollywood and Waikiki, HI.

http://www.dfsgalleria.com/Galleria/English/Hollywood/Hollywood_Destination_Home.html

Apparantly you can go into these stores and buy things, but they are delievered to you when you board your plane some time in the future??

So I guess the stores are nothing more that a "showcase".

business wise it seems odd to me to have a giant storefront in Hollywood and while anyone can probably go into the store, only those who are actually flying out of the country can purchase things???

seems like a ton of customers would go in and get upset that they can but items from a store in a Hollywood shopping district.

[TMH]

These shops are for tourists and located where tourists go. If I recall correctly, there was one in San Francisco near Union Square. Not sure if it's still there or not. My wife and I took my Japanese mother in law, who was visiting. We got in, but I think it was because we were with her. I think they check for a passport at the door. I know they ask for a passport when you pay.

[camduncan]

OTOH, if you bought 5L from a duty free shop, you would not pay local duty but AU would take their cut.

Or, to use that example....

If I purchase 2.25 litres duty free in another country, I can bring it into Australia and not pay tax here.

On the down side of that - if I buy 2.5 litres in another country, and Australian Customs is in a bad mood the day I fly back in... I get slugged for tax on the whole 2.5 litres (not just the .25 litres that I am over my allowance by)

Ironically, a co-worker came back from Japan in January with 5 bottles of Wild turkey Rye, 2 bottles of WT Tribute and 1 bottle of scotch and didn't even get asked to declare it

[camduncan]

Apparantly you can go into these stores and buy things, but they are delievered to you when you board your plane some time in the future??

So I guess the stores are nothing more that a "showcase".

business wise it seems odd to me to have a giant storefront in Hollywood and while anyone can probably go into the store, only those who are actually flying out of the country can purchase things???

seems like a ton of customers would go in and get upset that they can but items from a store in a Hollywood shopping district

I remember hearing once that you can go into these shops and purchase goods as a non-traveller, and that they will simply add the sales tax to the sale for you... I've never tried it though...

[Dave_in_Canada]

These stores (DFS) are aimed at the Japanese tourist trade, plane [sic] and simple. The Waikiki store is a perfect example. Come to Waikiki to get mairried, spend a day, and shop in the duty free. High priced Remy Martin cognacs are their speciality, the WT bourbon products are simply a side line.

[Isoflex]

Shouldn't the question rather be: Why can we not get this product at "regular" outlets here in the states? It seems as though some of the best/most interesting bourbon products are only available if you go out of the country. This to me is a shame. Every Bourbon product made should be available in the US. Afterall, isn't bourbon America's spirit??

[JamesH007]

I thought I landed a bottle, but the galleria does not operate out of the ATL intl airport or in South Africa where my friend is flying to. Maybe next trip will be out of JFK.....

[BarItemsPlus1]

Hello James, how are you? I have been meaning to get in touch...great to see you here!

I will send you an email shortly

Cheers

[Barrel_Proof]

Maybe next trip will be out of JFK.....

The DFS Galleria shop at JFK is in Terminal 4. If you leave from Terminal 1, you won't be leaving with any Heritage, unfortunately.

[ratcheer]

I think most people here would agree with you about that. The thing is, they can make up an exclusive bottling (even if it is identical in contents to something that is available in the states) and sell it for a lot more money, overseas. If you are the manufacturer and you can sell something for $20 at home or $35 as an export, what are you going to want to do?

Tim

[TMH]

Shouldn't the question rather be: Why can we not get this product at "regular" outlets here in the states? It seems as though some of the best/most interesting bourbon products are only available if you go out of the country. This to me is a shame. Every Bourbon product made should be available in the US. Afterall, isn't bourbon America's spirit??

From time to time the topic of why WE Americans can't get OUR bourbon comes up. There is a very simple explanation, these exclusive bottlings come about because DFS Galleria asks and pays for them. Also, if Heritage was available everywhere there would be less demand for it.

Yes bourbon is America's product, but it helps to have Americans who want it and are WILLING TO BUY IT. If a U.S. national chain really wanted another WT product on their shelves and was willing to pay the extra costs for the package and label design, we might see something like Heritage. I don't think it would happen. If WT released Heritage as a regular product, it would compete against Kentucky Spirit and then both would sit on the shelf collecting dust. I want WT Kentucky Spirit, but haven't bought it yet. I will someday, but someday is costing my local liquor store shelf space and money. If WT KS was an exclusive to DFS, I'd buy it next time I go overseas. Currently there is no urgency for me and I suspect it's the same for other bourbon drinkers. How many threads are there about this years release of KS or threads about people being upset about KS being sold on eBay?

BT seems to do very well in the U.S. with their high end releases and WT doesn't. This is why WT looks outside the U.S. to sell their high end products. Selling WT Heritage at Int'l Airports increases the odds of sales. Most Americans and non-Americans doing int'l travel tend to have more money and tend to like to buy exclusive products regardless of the cost. Most Americans don't buy bourbon regardless of cost and those that do tend to buy products like Stagg. Americans are price conscious and like to buy discounted items. Until that changes high end products will continue to go overseas.

[kbuzbee]

I want WT Kentucky Spirit, but haven't bought it yet. I will someday, but someday is costing my local liquor store shelf space and money. If WT KS was an exclusive to DFS, I'd buy it next time I go overseas. Currently there is no urgency for me and I suspect it's the same for other bourbon drinkers. How many threads are there about this years release of KS or threads about people being upset about KS being sold on eBay?

I take the opposite approach. I have an active campaign to keep Kentucky Spirit off my local store's shelves (by moving it all to my shelves! ) Then I proceed as rapidly as possible to remove it from there as well. It's my personal 'Stamp Out Kentucky Spirit' campaign (I hope I loose but I'm willing to give it my best effort).

Ken

(off to kill off yet another of those offending bottles of KS!)

[barturtle]

have an active campaign to keep Kentucky Spirit off my local store's shelves (by moving it all to my shelves! ) Then I proceed as rapidly as possible to remove it from there as well

Why? The way I see it the liquor store is like a whiskey bank that doesn't charge for the use of its vault. Whenever I want a bottle of KY Spirit, I can go in a get one and they won't charge me for the time it has sat on the shelves. And if someone is cleaning and knocks my future bottle of KY Spirit off of the shelf and breaks it, they replace it at no charge to me. They usually even keep enough on the shelves that if WT decides to discontinue Ky Spirit I can go in and withdraw all the remaining bottles(like I did with RR 101). The liquor store is the extended part of my collection. I love the liquor store

[kbuzbee]

Why? The way I see it the liquor store is like a whiskey bank that doesn't charge for the use of its vault.

Oh I totally agree and with every other brand I am the same way. KS is different. We all have our favorites. If (when?) WT decides to change (or KILL) KS I want to be prepared. I don't have the cash to clear every store of 10 bottles but I can out pace my consumption over time (just barely!). What I need to do is know exactly when I am going to die and buy just exactly that amount of KS so that...... Oh, never mind Where'd I put that glass anyway?

The liquor store is the extended part of my collection. I love the liquor store

Me too!

Ken