karen p

My husband has built up quite a collection of good
quality single malts.

Can these be brought with us (even if we have to pay duty on
them) or will he just have to have a really boozy good bye party?



Karen

Don

Single malts (and other Scotch whiskies) don't improve in the bottle and, unopened, will start to deteriorate in quality after (about) 10 years. They are highly unlikely to increase in value - rather, the opposite is true. There's no market for odds & sods collected single malts.

You're much better off drinking them - great opportunity to compare characteristics.

Can they be taken to Aus? Of course, but a lot of hassle and expense for poor reward IMHO.

Kentish Man

If they can't be taken send them over to me and I will ensure they are disposed of in the most humane way.

dracupg

I would bring them over and there shouldn’t be any issue with customs as long as you declare it on the packing forms. Customs will be looking for move obviously commercial items – 3 cases of the same whisky (no e!) would probably qualify, but I doubt a collection of individual malts would qualify.

The main reason I would bring them over though is because the selection here is pretty poor, unless Chivas Regal, Glenfiddich or Johnnie Walker are your thing.

If you are looking for decent whiskys that are worth keeping, you should look for and independent bottled, single cask (as opposed to cask strength), rare year, unfiltered and uncoloured from a mothballed distillery. There are a few organisations that do private bottling straight from the cask – Cadenhead, Gordon & MacPhail and Scottish Malt Whisky Society (http://www.smws.com/index.html) are the best known of these. More info at http://www.scotchwhisky.net

Contrary to popular belief, whisky is clear and takes only a slight colour from the cask. The majority of colour is added using chemical additives or caramel colouring. Also, as whisky goes cloudy when it gets cold (adding ice for example), it is freeze filtered to prevent this. Much of the taste and character is lost in this process.

Having said that, I am still partial to a Grouse now and again, or a “cooker� as my father in law would call it.

I would be happy to provide a private consultation when you get here

Amazulu

From what I remember single malts are expensive in Oz, so I would take them.

karen p

Thanks for all the replies.

It isn't a collection for investment purposes, just
for him to drink, but there is over 20 bottles (some
open some not) and it seemed a shame if he just
had to gulp them all down.

Karen

dracupg

Customs are not going to bat an eyelid at 20 mixed bottles. Bring them over.

Don

The opened bottles deteriorate faster, unfortunately. Once open, best to drink within 12 months or the whisky can start to taste 'off'.

Maybe just finish the opened bottles?