Going to paradise

[SpiritofShetland]

I'm just sitting here counting the days and hours. In just three days time I'll be leaving rainy old Trondheim, Norway behind and heading for rainy old Scotland.

The theme of the trip is as usual whisky - with Islay as the main goal.

But due to a rescheduling from the airline We (me and the Mrs) have to leave a couple of days earlier than planned. This isn't a bad thing, since it allows us to visit the Kingston Beer Festival outside London before heading north to Glasgow and then on to Inveraray.

A night will be spent in Inveraray and we will of course be paying a visit to Loch Fyne Whiskies before heading on to Oban, where we'll be staying two nights. A trip over to Mull is planned as well as Oban Distillery. That's when the real fun starts - on to Islay.

Almost a week (six days) will be spend on the Island of Paradise. All (hopefully) distilleries will be visited, and much will be sampled. Will be staying at the Lochindaal Hotel in Port Charlotte.

After leaving Islay we'll head back to Glasgow for a few days before EasyJet and Norwegian will be flying us back home.

[Mr Ellen]

You lucky, me not....

Have a nice trip and enjoy all the whiskies you'll be tasting. With almost six days you will have enough time to visit all the distilleries on Islay and experience something beyond them to.

No Scotland for me this summer, hopefully before X-mas though!!

Cheers and have a nice holiday...
______________________
Anders

[Deactivated Member]

Excellent!
Enjoy your trip.

[Frodo]

Way to go Arve! make sure you leave room in your luggage for some bottles coming back!!!

[SpiritofShetland]

I always travel with a backpack capable of carrying at least 7 bottles (that's the maximum allowed into Norway without a special license (1 liter dutyfree and 4 liters to declare).

[rthomson]

Excellent itinerary. Have a wonderful time! It'll be difficult to restrict yourself to only 7 bottles, but what a great dilemna to have.

Cheers,
Ron

[Aidan]

I thought you were talking about Celtic Park.

[Deactivated Member]

Or Tynecastle to see the other half of Scotland's big two.

[Aidan]

Or Tynecastle to see the other half of Scotland's big two.

The final third of Scotland's big two. Well done Hearts, by the way.

[Jan]

Wish I was you, Arve - sounds like a very nice trip. Have fun...

Have you planned ahead on your purchases ?

Cheers
Jan

[SpiritofShetland]

No plans whatsoever.

I've tried several times when travelig to put up a shoppinglist, but upon entering stores like Loch Fyne, Islay Whisky Shop and distillery shops these lists have a tendency to evaporate.

So I'll be doing what I always do - see what catches my fancy at the time.

[lbacha]

I always travel with a backpack capable of carrying at least 7 bottles (that's the maximum allowed into Norway without a special license (1 liter dutyfree and 4 liters to declare).

So does this work out to 14 bottles between you and your significant other.

Len

[Paul A Jellis]

That's a great trip Arve, enjoy yourselves! I know what you mean about shopping lists and whisky shops - I never leave with what I went in for - always something better!

Cheers, Paul

[Deactivated Member]

Paul I agree with you totally.

I will soon be back in the UK for a few days and have already ordered 3 bottles to be shipped to my folks house.
Then there will be the bottles I buy at WoW in Stansted that I will need to find a way of carrying ........ etc.

[SpiritofShetland]

So does this work out to 14 bottles between you and your significant other.
Len

In total - yes, if we both buy our full allowance. I guess the local chapter of the Norwegian Malt Whisky Society would want us to pick up as few bottles for them to while we're in the neighbourhood.

We'll see what temptations the different shops trow in our way.

[Mr Fjeld]

Enjoy your trip Arve!

Christian

[irishwhiskeychaser]

I always travel with a backpack capable of carrying at least 7 bottles (that's the maximum allowed into Norway without a special license (1 liter dutyfree and 4 liters to declare).

Don't fancy the back packing 7 bottles part.... but would love the lightening of the load part.....

Enjoy

[SpiritofShetland]

The backpacking 7 bottles is only for the last legs since I don't fancy sending the bottles as checked in luggage (I work in an airport and see how the bags handled).

[irishwhiskeychaser]

......I work in an airport and see how the bags handled......

So is it true .... do they really play football with my bag every time I check it in ....... as that is usually what it looks like when I get it back

[SpiritofShetland]

It's more like a mix between rugby and basketball. Quite a bit of tossing going on.

My personal record is receiving my suitcase with a great big hole in the middle (this 'accident' happened most likeliy at Copenhagen Airport).

Another thing about not checking in the bottles are the weight. 7 bottles equals around 12-14kg, and with a total allowance of 20kg there's not room for much more.

Never had a problem with weight on my carry-on luggage. My personal record is around 20-25kg.

[Di Blasi]

I always travel with a backpack capable of carrying at least 7 bottles (that's the maximum allowed into Norway without a special license (1 liter dutyfree and 4 liters to declare).

Lucky you!! Have a blast!
I wonder how you figure out 7 bottles to Norway?? 1 is the free-bee, and the other 6 bottles, times .7 liter, comes to 4.2 liters doesn't it? Please explain so I can be sure to also import max possible on my trip over the end of August.
And looking forward to hearing what you and misses find and decide to take home!
Have a great time!

[SpiritofShetland]

Whisky normally (in Europe) comes in 0,7l bottles. 7 bottles comes to a total of 4,9 litres. The dutyfree allowance into Norway is 1 liter, which leaves 3,9 litres to declare.

The custom counts litres, so it doesn't matter if the litre is from several bottles.

[Di Blasi]

Whisky normally (in Europe) comes in 0,7l bottles. 7 bottles comes to a total of 4,9 litres. The dutyfree allowance into Norway is 1 liter, which leaves 3,9 litres to declare.

The custom counts litres, so it doesn't matter if the litre is from several bottles.

That's good to hear! But I'm still confused. If you have to declare 3.9 liters, and you have 6 bottles of .7 of a liter each, that works out to 4.2 liters. Are they flexible with the .3 of a liter over?? Or is it 6 bottles that is actually possible to bring in? Thanks for clearing this up, and helping out with future purchases!

[PuckJunkie]

Whisky normally (in Europe) comes in 0,7l bottles. 7 bottles comes to a total of 4,9 litres. The dutyfree allowance into Norway is 1 liter, which leaves 3,9 litres to declare.

The custom counts litres, so it doesn't matter if the litre is from several bottles.

That's good to hear! But I'm still confused. If you have to declare 3.9 liters, and you have 6 bottles of .7 of a liter each, that works out to 4.2 liters. Are they flexible with the .3 of a liter over?? Or is it 6 bottles that is actually possible to bring in? Thanks for clearing this up, and helping out with future purchases!

I think he's saying that the duty free allowance encompasses both one entire .7 liter bottle and another .3 liter from whatever other bottle, leaving 3.9 liters to declare (the remaining .4 liter from that bottle + the remaining entire bottles). You can really just ignore the bottles, except to figure out how much total volume you have. .7*7 = 4.9, 1 liter is duty free, 3.9 left to declare. Doesn't matter that the liter comes out of two separate bottles, or that it doesn't completely account for the second bottle.

Puck

[Di Blasi]

1 liter dutyfree and 4 liters to declare).

5 liters allowed, minus 1 liter duty free, leaves 4 liters to declare and pay duty.
4 bottles at a liter each, or 5 bottles at .7 liter, (normal European size), totals 3.5 liters. A 6th bottle would total 4.2 liters, making that .2 liters over the allowable limit. Is this right, or am I missing something??? Does customs let you slide with .2 liters over?? I wouldn't think so!!
Thanks for helping clear this up!

[PuckJunkie]

1 liter dutyfree and 4 liters to declare).

5 liters allowed, minus 1 liter duty free, leaves 4 liters to declare and pay duty.
4 bottles at a liter each, or 5 bottles at .7 liter, (normal European size), totals 3.5 liters. A 6th bottle would total 4.2 liters, making that .2 liters over the allowable limit. Is this right, or am I missing something??? Does customs let you slide with .2 liters over?? I wouldn't think so!!
Thanks for helping clear this up!

In your scenario you're only using .7 liters of the allowable duty-free liter. You still get another .3 duty free. You have to pay tax on the other 3.9 liters.

Puck

[Di Blasi]

That still doesn't help, but thanks for trying!
And still it doesn't compute, or maybe it's just me, haven't been drinking enough whisky lately.

[SpiritofShetland]

Then I'm off for the airport.

See you all in two weeks time.

Cheers

[WHISKYNOSE]

I'm just sitting here counting the days and hours. In just three days time I'll be leaving rainy old Trondheim, Norway behind and heading for rainy old Scotland.

The theme of the trip is as usual whisky - with Islay as the main goal.

But due to a rescheduling from the airline We (me and the Mrs) have to leave a couple of days earlier than planned. This isn't a bad thing, since it allows us to visit the Kingston Beer Festival outside London before heading north to Glasgow and then on to Inveraray.

A night will be spent in Inveraray and we will of course be paying a visit to Loch Fyne Whiskies before heading on to Oban, where we'll be staying two nights. A trip over to Mull is planned as well as Oban Distillery. That's when the real fun starts - on to Islay.

Almost a week (six days) will be spend on the Island of Paradise. All (hopefully) distilleries will be visited, and much will be sampled. Will be staying at the Lochindaal Hotel in Port Charlotte.

After leaving Islay we'll head back to Glasgow for a few days before EasyJet and Norwegian will be flying us back home.

Hy spirit of Shetland,

While you're enjoying yourself on Islay can you do me a favour, let me explain the question:

Several years ago I went on a sailing-trip trough the Hebrides and came trough the Sound Of Islay (from the north), we docked at Port Askaig but I cannot seem to remember seeing Coal Isla (i wasn't interested in distilleries then).
When you're in the neighbourhood try to get the location, in distance from the harbour, it would be appreciate if you do so !!

BTW have a nice trip and enjoy this gorgeous island.

[No Man]

Several years ago I went on a sailing-trip trough the Hebrides and came trough the Sound Of Islay (from the north), we docked at Port Askaig but I cannot seem to remember seeing Coal Isla (i wasn't interested in distilleries then).
When you're in the neighbourhood try to get the location, in distance from the harbour, it would be appreciate if you do so !!

Caol Ila: N55° 51' 15.3" W6° 6' 34.2"
Port Askaig: N55° 50' 53.9" W6° 6' 19.5"

Approximate straight-line distance: 600 metres

[WHISKYNOSE]

Several years ago I went on a sailing-trip trough the Hebrides and came trough the Sound Of Islay (from the north), we docked at Port Askaig but I cannot seem to remember seeing Coal Isla (i wasn't interested in distilleries then).
When you're in the neighbourhood try to get the location, in distance from the harbour, it would be appreciate if you do so !!

Caol Ila: N55° 51' 15.3" W6° 6' 34.2"
Port Askaig: N55° 50' 53.9" W6° 6' 19.5"

Approximate straight-line distance: 600 metres

No man,

Thanks very much, now I can sort things out !!

[Deactivated Member]

Not quite the same paradise, but I am coming back to the UK for a few days, which will give me chance to raid WoW!

See you all next week.
MT