WW99

I have seen a few threads on here discussing the cross state/ hold luggage importation of alcohol and one that says their shipping company would not bring over any drinks from the UK in a container. But none that deal with whole cellars (well, little cellars!)

Although my wife and I shall do our best to get rid of the drinks cabinet before we leave, there are some drinks that can not be thrown down the hatch. We have around 60 bottles of wine (red/white/fortified/sparkling) and 20 bottles of whisky/whiskey.

I have looked for definite answers through various authorities - Customs and Boarder Protection, United States International Trade Commission, alcohol and Tobacco Trade Bureau, Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and explosives and New York State Liquor Authority - however, finding any real answers is proving annoyingly difficult.

There must be some people out there that have had to ship over their wine/ whisky collection, and if there is could you shed some light for me.

I am moving to NYC, so any information on the state specific requirements, forms to fill out, permits to obtain, shipping companies that can deal with this would be most appreciated.

Thank you all in advance for your advice.

Speedwell

I frequently bring in far over the allowance in alcohol when I travel (I am a Scotch drinker who travels to Aberdeen on occasion, and I raid Heathrow duty-free for gifts for friends). I don't ever get in trouble at customs in the US; I know I have to pay duty and the staff at IAH are usually pretty decent. So I was curious and I asked them once how I'd have to work it if I brought over more than I had brought that trip. They weren't exactly 100 percent sure, but they thought it would be best to work with a local liquor store to find a distributor with the correct permits. This sounds a lot like finding a gun shop through which to import a gun collection, so it sounds plausible. Maybe someone here who lives in NYC knows a shop that could steer you in the right direction. I think Wine Spectator magazine also has an online forum (if they don't anymore, at least they have people at the magazine you can contact), and they would probably know many collectors in your position. Good luck.

Wibblypig

I know when we shipped our things over last year we were told we weren't allowed to put any alcohol in the container, not even things such as perfume containing alcohol. I guess you will have to find a company who specifically ship alcohol and work in your other things.

Good luck!

sir_eccles

Most domestic moving companies don't want you to pack anything liquid let alone alcohol for various reasons including but limited to: liquid damage from spilling onto other stuff they are carrying, bottle damage from just breaking or corks can pop out, the truck/container is not air conditioned so your wine might get very hot and spoil, flammable liquids sloshing about, alcohol crossing state lines, etc etc etc.

Even people shipping wine personally with Fedex and the like have issues depending on states involved and temperatures etc.

You'll need a specialist shipping company.

thinbrit

You'll need to satisfy Federal, State and Shipper. By which time you might need all of that collection just to numb the pain.
Hold a farewell party, or gift it to friends.

Otherwise, you are looking at Federal laws, like import duty:
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/va...aying_duty.xml
State laws:
http://www.tax.ny.gov/bus/bev/abt_ta...ndividuals.htm
In New York, alcohol can only be imported by State licensees (I think its $1,500 for a year permit). State law specifically prohibits importation of alcohol by non-licensees for personal use. Only exception allows NY State residents who acquire alcohol during foreign travel to carry it home or ship it to themselves. You may be able to ship it to yourself after you become a resident.
Shipper regulations:
Shipping alcohol USPS is illegal ($10k fine).
Some FedEx deliveries makes the last leg of the journey via USPS.

I mean, unless this is a really nice and irreplaceable collection, it probably isn't worth the headache. Even if you do get it here, some clumsy handler may have reduced your collection to broken glass; or the temperature may have spoiled it.

Pulaski

We had no problem when we shipped our house contents in 2001, including 40 bottles of whisky and other spirits. The shipper certainly had no problem and was not any sort of specialist; the only stipulation being that they were sealed (and in fact not all were, as we shipped several almost full bottles - we just made sure they were packed upright). We declared them on the shipping manifest and were assessed duty of $2 per bottle. The US agent, when my wife phoned to arrange delivery, exclaimed "Oh! You're the lady with the liquor!" (As my wife is a USC by birth we shipped our stuff under her name.)

To thinbrit's point, our container was shipped to the port at Baltimore (we had no control over that - it could have gone to any port from Boston to Virginia), but was ultimately delivered to an address in New York, which didn't so much as cause a raised eyebrow, much less any sort of issue.

JenABZ

Who did you use? We move in Juky and have a collection of whisky that I'd rather not give my mother.....if you catch my drift, she'd add coca cola to it! We would love to take the whisky to Houston with us.

Pulaski

The company we used was Allfreight International Removals Ltd, Unit 3, Hamm Moore Lane, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 2SD Tel 01932 853344 e-mail: [email protected].

Now, this was 11 years ago, so the rules may have changed, but they were very helpful, ..... and despite the passing of 11 years there is still a packed box in the corner of my office, which is where the contact info above came from.

JenABZ

Dare I say that the majority of ours would also remain that way, although there are a few that it would be a shame not to drink! Thanks for the helpful advice and a very merry Christmas when it arrives your side of the pond. Best wishes. J

Speedwell

They told me at the Glenfiddich distillery that Scotch does not improve with age once it's bottled. Neither do our taste buds improve with age, folks. "Gather ye rosebuds while ye may..."

JenABZ

I know they won't improve, but some are fairly rare and we want to keep them. My mom may well have the job of looking after them for us if we can't take them with us!

Pulaski

No, the whisky was unpacked when we first got here, it's some other stuff in the still-packed box (either papers and magazines, or maybe video tapes).
Correct, bottled whisky is "frozen in time".

thinbrit

Whilst it does not improve with time, it can certainly deteriorate if not stored correctly; it is not the twinkie equivalent of liquor