Munchin

Hi all,

I am getting relocated to NYC at the end of March and am trying to figure out how I can bring good 60-70+ whisky bottles with me (these are amongst the 100+ bottles I have currently and unfortunately are too good of investments to be consumed at least at the moment..).

I've been looking at NYC's own regulations and it seems possible to bring in up to 90 litres of hard liquor for personal consumption without having to acquired an import permit (provided that somehow I can get those up to 90 litres in total bottles across the pond..). Hence, I am wondering if anyone's ever shipped their entire wine/hard liquor collection to the US. My HR suggests that alcohol isn't part of the company's policy for relocation assistance, so I am left figuring out on my own.

Thank you so much,

Pulaski

I did exactly what you are trying to do - same destination (New York), similar amount (80 x 70cl bottles), and just lucked-out that our movers didn't object and were willing to do the paperwork. It cost us $2/bottle in duty, IIRC.

In fairness we did a lot of it in ignorance and didn't realize what a minefield we had walked into, and I think it depends on the destination state as to how they handle importation of liquor/ spirits. Thankfully my collection of single malts and other spirits survived OK!

GeneralPowerpoint

I feel your pain. I couldn't be bothered with the hassle and gave my collection to my dad.

SanDiegogirl

We have always found that our moving company would not ship bottles - especially filled bottles.

Pulaski

Most don't, from what I have heard, but some certainly do.

lansbury

The problem I had, albeit 13 years ago, was the moving company wouldn't handle liquor as there was no guarantee which ship the container would go on, or which port it would be offloaded at. The movers, Pickfords, claimed some States were easier to import liquor into than others, while some made it just about impossible. There is also the fact that in most States it is not legal to ship liquor across State lines, in more than personal use quantities, without permits. So finding a mover who will enter the minefield might be the biggest obstacle.

scrubbedexpat099

Was going to buy a case of wine in California and the winery did shipments, so I asked and realised it was not going to be practical, and that was just to Colorado.

Former Lancastrian

Well from experience I have cleared many a container loaded with booze and upon opening said container some were intact and others not. Also dependent on time of year bottles of alcohol were removed as popsicles.

What Is the Freezing Point of Alcohol? Type ABV Freezing Point Wine 8-14% -5 C (23 F) 40 Proof Liquor 20% -7 C (22 F) 64 Proof Liquor 32% -23 C (-10 F) 80 Proof Liquor 40% -27 C (-17 F)

Your choice in the end and good luck finding a company that will carry alcohol or even insure it.

tom169

Same, although was only around 6 bottles of Scotch I bought in some auctions.

Munchin

Thanks all. The prep for this move has slowly opening my eyes to this whole US alcohol regulations.. It seems the Whisky Barrel (online liquor retailer) has a service to ship it. They quoted me close to £3k to ship 70 bottles of whiskies (inclusive of duties to be paid once they reach the US soil) That being said, I still need to find a way to ship the bottles to their warehouse in Fife, so I feel like this is not the most cost effective nor efficient (plus this is still not insured either)..

Pulaski do you mind if I ask which moving company you used for the move? I might also try calling up a few companies just to check around before making up my mind whether I'll continue pushing through with the struggle or park most of the bottles at some friends' house and try to get friends to slowly move them if/when they cross the pond.

Pulaski

Sorry, but $3k to ship 70 bottles is taking the pi$$! And the duty is only about $2/bottle!
Sure, np. We used Allfreight International Removals Ltd, of Unit 3, Hamm Moor Lane, Weybridge Business Park, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 2SD

All the issues described above by various posters, can be very real and things just fell into place for us through dumb luck - we didn't go looking for a shipper who would take our whisky and spirits, and we didn't know until years later that the port of arrival in the US can cause problems if you're shipping spirits. However the shipper that received the shipment (which was in my wife's name only as she was a USC and we felt that the shipment would attract less attention from US customs if made only by a USC) and made the delivery from the port in Baltimore to our first stop in Westchester Co, NY, dubbed my wife as "the lady with the liquor"!

tht

What kind of visa are you on? How long do you think you would be over here? Before the liquids ban on flying I moved a bunch of wine down to NZ as carryon in maybe 2003, I took maybe 6 bottles. I know wine may be more sensitive to travel but none of it really made it, they all went bad.

If you are only here on a temporary visa and these whiskeys are to valuable to drink maybe you can put them in appropriate storage, subjecting them to 2 trips over the pond may not be the best for them.

petitefrancaise

your company HR "suggests" they won't cover the costs?? It's usually a complete no-no.
Amongst my french pals here in Texas - there are many stories of coveted wine collections being ruined by a transatlantic crossing. Unless it's a permanent move, I'd suggest storage in the UK.

Pulaski

That's not really the same thing though - liquor (spirits) are, to be blunt, a purified, sterile, toxic, industrial chemical sealed in an airtight bottle, whereas wine is more akin to agricultural produce - not sterile, not purified or filtered, not toxic to microbes (at bottle strength) and not in a totally airtight bottle (I concede that some of my malts have a cork stopper).