Where do you buy your whisky?

by **lohssanami** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 9:49 pm

I know this question can have many answers, but I wanted to get an idea of where most people buy their whisky?

Some may have less options, depending on their location, but I thought it would be interesting to see how this turns out.

by **shulaw05** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 11:14 pm

Wine on the 9 is my new specialty shop in Howell, NJ - go once every 3 weeks when i'm in the area for work

by **mikeymad** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 11:37 pm

D&M - SF
K&L - SF/Redwood City
HighTimes - LA
Wine and Liquor Depot - LA
Royal Mile - UK
Binny's - Chicago
Sam's - Chicago - I don't buy their anymore
Vintage Wines - Mill Valley (marin)
BevMo (oh no)
Auctions (world)
Various small stores near me (don't even know their name)

Cheers,

by **mikeymad** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 11:38 pm

oops and Trader Joes....

Man I use to buy a lot.... :wink:

cheers,

by **Willie JJ** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 12:20 am

It might be a different situation here in the UK lohssanami. I think folk that know whisky prices find it hard to resist the supermarket loss-leaders, but they are really only applied to standard ranges. If you want anything out of the ordinary then you need a specialist.

Of course the distillery shop is a must. Who cares about the price, (which is often higher), when you can be drinking from a bottle picked up at the place of distillation. Sentimental rubbish I know, but then I guess I'm just a sentimental fool

.

by **lohssanami** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 12:42 am

Mikeymad - I saw you mentioned High Times in LA. That's a store I wish I was near, and at $49.99 for Laga 16 right now, man oh man!

Willie - I think I would also pay extra to pick it up at the distillery. I'd be a bit sentimental too!

I've been to:

K&L Redwood City (picking up a sample of laddie "First Born" tomorrow)
Bevmo - all over the Bay
Supermarket - prices don't seem to get close to the previous two stores.
Beltramos - Redwood City (going tomorrow)

by **Willie JJ** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 1:41 am

I have to say I'm keen to come over and visit a few of your better stores, because I think there are bottlings available that are either targeted at the US market or that are no longer available here.

Stupid really. As if there's not enough to buy on this side of the pond. I suppose its just an excuse to visit.

Of course I'd love to visit California, because I'm a rabid Steinbeck fan.

Oh yeah, and that is a great price for the Laga 16.

by **shulaw05** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 1:52 am

Willie JJ wrote:I have to say I'm keen to come over and visit a few of your better stores, because I think there are bottlings available that are either targeted at the US market or that are no longer available here.

Stupid really. As if there's not enough to buy on this side of the pond.

funny isn't it...there are litteraly thousands of bottles i could buy in the states and for some reason i want the bottles from the UK i can't get. well, that's not true, there are some stores that do ship overseas, but i think it is just natural instinct to want things you can't (or aren't supposed to) have...

by **Willie JJ** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 2:01 am

Yes its the green eyed monster at work. Fortunately having a dram helps to fight those demons.

by **Aeolus** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 2:05 am

shulaw05 wrote:....i think it is just natural instinct to want things you can't (or aren't supposed to) have...

which is why bans and prohibitions never work!

by **Willie JJ** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 2:07 am

Aeolus wrote:
shulaw05 wrote:....i think it is just natural instinct to want things you can't (or aren't supposed to) have...

which is why bans and prohibitions never work!

Wise words.

by **Wave** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 3:00 am

Taking mikeymad's list and augmenting it.....

D&M - SF
K&L - SF/Redwood City
Wine and Liquor Depot - LA
Wine Specialists - Washington DC
Loch Fynes - UK
Royal Mile - UK
Binny's - Chicago
Sam's - Chicago (occasionally)
Various small stores near me: The Cork Screw, Finest Liquors & Friar Tucks.
Also various distilleries while in my on-going adventures of the whisky trails.

Cheers!

by **lohssanami** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 5:56 am

shulaw05 wrote:...i think it is just natural instinct to want things you can't (or aren't supposed to) have...

Exactly...I want to order an Ardbeg Still Young and an Almost There from the distillery, but it says they can't deliver to the US because of our laws. :headbang:

I'll keep watching out for those online.

Time for a dram...

by **Aidan** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 12:26 pm

I buy a lot in Germany. Also places like Royal Mile Whiskies in Scotland and The Celtic Whiskey Shop in Dublin. Ebay too...

by **Muskrat Portage** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 11:46 pm

I picked the closest one to "A Government-run bootlegger store", the Corner liquor mart. Ours is sited on a corner and sells liquor. Most Canadians and all Ontarians are obligated to purchase from the Provincial government run outlets. You probably could have put LCBO as an option as it's the largest purchaser of alcohol in the world.

Muskrat Portage

by **Lord_Pfaffin** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 9:13 am

Muskrat Portage wrote:I picked the closest one to "A Government-run bootlegger store", the Corner liquor mart. Ours is sited on a corner and sells liquor. Most Canadians and all Ontarians are obligated to purchase from the Provincial government run outlets. You probably could have put LCBO as an option as it's the largest purchaser of alcohol in the world.

Muskrat Portage

I consider my local LCBO a specialty store, I love the large "vintages" section. The LCBO is the local legal drug dealer. :lol:

by **I_SPEY** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 1:26 pm

I buy whisk(e)y at:
Whiskyslijterij de Koning - 's-Hertogenbosch - Holland
Jan van Breda - Rotterdam - Holland
Bottelier Zonneveld - Maassluis - Holland
Verhaar Whiskyhandel - Utrecht - Holland
Gall & Gall - Rotterdam - Holland
and occasionally tax free at Route 66 in Luxemburg!(very cheap)

by **Di Blasi** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 1:57 pm

Locally, or in Norway anyway, we all have to buy alcohol above 5% at the government shops, Vinmonopolet. Not bad as their selection is massive, and if one shop doesn't have it on the shelf, you can order it. Now, where we just moved, since we don't have one in our municipality, they'll ship for free! Otherwise I mostly buy when I travel, not necessarily in duty free, but at the shops at the location I'm visiting. I've also bought online, in Holland, the UK, and have things sent to friends or family, but shipping to Norway is still a no-no, bad bad alcohol drinker!!

by **Muskrat Portage** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 5:36 pm

Di Blasi wrote:Locally, or in Norway anyway, we all have to buy alcohol above 5% at the government shops, Vinmonopolet. Not ...

DI Blasi: I've been meaning to ask, does Vinmonopolet translate to "wine monopoly", or a similar derivative of alcohol in English?

I like the idea of free shipping 'though. The postman must be a very popular fellow in the village! As we all know, Norway isn't the only place where you can't ship alcohol to naughty drinkers, Canada and certain 'States have similar archaic laws. (I learned that here on the forums!)
Muskrat Portage

by **Mr Fjeld** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 5:56 pm

Vinmonopolet does indeed translate directly into Wine Monopoly. The funny thing is that I think I heard somewhere that the Norwegian wine monopoly is based on the same system as the Canadian one. They even "learn" from eachother and both use the concept of "Brut" and "Traditionell" Cognac to separate between Cognac with additives and the ones without.

And as opposed to Canada it's not going to be illegal to import alcohol through post anymore. But it will be expensive because the same taxes and duties will be slapped on top of the retail price.....

I have to say I hope the Wine Monopoly here will stay as it is. It really is a brilliant system because the wine and spirit agents sector has been privatised hence you have an enormous selection in most categories. The availability is very good with a shop nearly all over Norway and the ones which doesn't have can order it through the mail - and as Jonathan said, it costs nill. They also have an excellent webshop where everything is available. From being quite unpopular with most Norwegians it now turns out that a clear majority favours it.

by **Mr Fjeld** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 7:34 pm

Collector57 wrote: Hmmm, I wonder if I can order online and have free shipping to the UK?

With our prices you should be glad they don't

However, if you're also into clarets and other fine wines then Norway is probably the place to visit for good deals. Because our taxes and duty on alcohol is fixed to the alcoholic percentage and won't increase after being applied in the first hand. When the auction prices increase in England and on the continent it stays the same here in Norway.

What are prices like, anyway? Do you guys have to pay a premium?

Johnnie Walker Red Label - GBP 29,-
Ardbeg Ten - GBP 46,-
Laphroaig Cask Strenght - GBP 62,-
Bruichladdich Xvii - GBP 77,-

:evil:

by **Di Blasi** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 7:36 pm

Mr Fjeld saves the day, thanks for the information, your understanding and explanation is right on. :thumbsup:

I too am one of those that agree with the system, it serves us well. Cheap alcohol is expensive because of the taxes, but expensive stuff is cheap, because of that same flat tax, so quality is affordable luckily. And good question there Collector57, I wonder if you can order from the UK? I doubt it, or that you would want to, unless it's something like the 1974 Ardbeg single cask you're after, going for just 3,599kr, just a little over 350£ I guess with the current exchange.
Check out the site's whisky selection to compare prices....
http://www.vinmonopolet.no/is-bin/INTER ... r26=Whisky

by **Di Blasi** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 7:45 pm

Oh, and alcohol doesn't go on sale here! So when they blow out the Longmorn 15y at 29£ to clear space for the new 16y, we still pay 590kr, (almost double), til it sells out!!!

by **Di Blasi** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 10:59 pm

I think it's cask #2749, 120 bottles for Norway.

by **SoMK** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 11:41 pm

Mostly from the Government run corner liquor store... but as I have close relatives in UK, France and Germany, it gives a niiice malty hue to family/business trips :wink:

by **Di Blasi** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 12:02 am

Collector57 wrote:This would seem to be Scandinavia only so I have no price comparison point!

Ah well, just have to live with the UK releases

I was just trying to make the point those super special and valuable Single Cask Ardbeg 1974's, going for about 450-500£, one is going for about 100£ less than that.

by **Di Blasi** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 12:28 am

No, we can't complain so much anymore, and we're very lucky as we've been getting lots of great whisky lately! In November over 50 new whiskies were released, and new ones are imported all the time. Glad the importers are bringing in nice new whiskies for us to enjoy, which the Norwegian market is obviously doing.

by **hook55** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 1:24 am

I came from Sydney Australia to live in Manila Philippines if I had known about the limited supply of Malts here I would have stayed in Sydney!!!

Very hard to find many malts!!! mostly Glenfiddich 12y.o. Glenmorangie 10y.o.in the stores and at Duty Free they have a better range but not much opportunity to visit! :cry:

the bars have few malts available but at a price. :cry:

I have had Macallan 12y.o. and 18y.o.Highland Park 10y.o. Glenfiddich 12y.o. at Hard Rock Cafe.

What's a man gotta do to get a fine Whisky??

by **woodhill** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 1:31 am

I'll get most of my standard stuff on offer from my 3 local Supermarkets. (I have 3 large Asda's 2 Large Tesco's and 2 Large Sainsbury's within 10 - 15 minutes from my house).

My special stuff comes from contacts in the trade I've made over the years, eBay, duty free (if not me most of my friends know to call when passing through DF) and occasional booze cruises to Calais.
And of course the usual online retailers.

But it's not where you buy it.........................................

by **Di Blasi** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 1:42 am

Hi hook55, are you allowed to order online and have it delivered?? That might be worth it for you but many factors to consider first, like shipping, exchange rate where you buy from, and if The Phillipines allow it to get into the country??? Good luck!

by **hook55** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 2:03 am

Hi Di Blasi,

Yes I have thought of buying online, but it's the exchange rate and the duty plus tax that Philippines put on everything that comes into the country that does not make it worth while. I ordered something from U.S.A. last year and was delivered via DHL they would not hand over the parcel until I paid them the duty and tax for the item!!
I wait until a relative arrives in the country then I put an order thru them. problem is most of the whisky I'm interested in are not available at Duty Free? just have to settle for Macallan, Glenfiddich, I like the Speyside malts so far, had Highland as well, don't like the ones from the islands, Talisker etc, don't care for seaweed and peat.

by **Di Blasi** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 2:14 am

I'm sure the Philippines are a beautiful place to visit, so I guess you just have to wait for your friends to come over and bring you some good stuff. I usually do the same thing, either order online close to where the specific friend lives and mail it to them, or find out what's available at the duty free they'll pass through and give them a list of what to get.

by **lohssanami** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 7:35 am

It's nice to hear of the different ways other people purchase whisky.

I'll be traveling to Orlando, FL and Northern Maine this year, and I might spend a little time looking for whisky on my trips. Anyone have any good ideas for shops in those areas?

by **hook55** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 1:36 pm

At this time it was the liquor outlet next the the supermarket not much to chose from tho.

by **mathews** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 10:52 pm

I just received one case (6 - 750ml bottles) of Laphroaig 10 from labodegawine.com The cost per bottle, including shipping, was $35. Email Sam for the deal

Where do you buy your whisky?

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