Important travel question - duty free champagne suggestions

[simongr]

I wouldnt bother buying Champers in DF any more. The price differential is not that great for the midrange purchases. I would stick to stocking up on spirits.

 

[medhead]

Dom Perignon for $100 a bottle is a no-brainer however - IF you can find it for that price! Can I ask where?!

Basically, I stuffed up. Sorry.
SWMBO tells me we never, ever had Dom P. So much for my memory.

 

[thewinchester]

And slightly on topic, I got caught out at Hong Kong airport recently trying to buy grog - you can't bring it onto the plane with you. Period. It doesn't matter if it was purchased from the duty free store, you have to buy it before hand and put it into your checked baggage. Not sure if it's the same rule as Singapore, but you should check first just in case.

Singapore, as of my last two visits over the preceding three years are more than happy for you to take DF wine/alcohol/sprits/liquids on-board flights to Australia.

As you make your purchase, they will ask for your boarding pass to get your flight details. You will be handed your receipt as well as a coupon/ticket, which you need to hold on to until you've cleared gate lounge security.

Once you've cleared the gate lounge, simply approach the DF Staff Member standing near to the boarding door - who will be more than happy to hand your purchases over to you, in a sealed back so you'll have no problems with arrival customers back home.

Full information and FAQ's on how it's done are available from:
FAQ - Changi Airport

 

[Keith009]

Basically, I stuffed up. Sorry.
SWMBO tells me we never, ever had Dom P. So much for my memory.

Ahh, sorry I didn't read your follow up post. That'd teach me to read the whole thread before posting.

 

[Febs]

Almost completely off-topic, but while I was in France recently, I received a sound telling off from my French-speaking father-in-law for calling Veuve Cliquot "Veuve". Apparently it means "widow" and it's not the done thing to go around saying widow, widow so flippantly.

And slightly on topic, I got caught out at Hong Kong airport recently trying to buy grog - you can't bring it onto the plane with you. Period. It doesn't matter if it was purchased from the duty free store, you have to buy it before hand and put it into your checked baggage. Not sure if it's the same rule as Singapore, but you should check first just in case.

Thought I'd best mention it.

Damn. Surely they'll deliver it to the gate for you (like SIN)? Otherwise, what's the point of duty free in the departures area?

If that's the case...hmm there go my plans for buying duty-free cheaply on this trip. LAX have everything I want, super-cheap (including the new 14yo Glenfiddich "Rich Oak" and Glenmorangie Nectar d'Or), but I'm flying via HKG and KUL, which meant I was going to buy everything in HKG on the way home.

May need to go back to plan B - buy everything here in the US (not duty-free - it's still very cheap) and just lug it around Asia. I brought some bottle jackets just in case.

Cheers,
- Febs.

 

[rtyuiop]

Yeah, I think I've reached the conclusion that it's not worth it. Might just go for my habitual bottles of bailey's and cointreau on arrival back home!

 

[k_sheep]

KUL LCCT had run out of cointreau when I went through last week! The horror :shock: I ended up buying ... *shudder* ... bourban instead.

 

[Keith009]

Damn. Surely they'll deliver it to the gate for you (like SIN)? Otherwise, what's the point of duty free in the departures area?

Unfortunately, you can't buy grog in HKIA if departing for Australia. Or indeed anything above 100ml, period. I am not sure what other destinations are on the 'no liquids' list.

 

[zzyss]

Unfortunately, you can't buy grog in HKIA if departing for Australia. Or indeed anything above 100ml, period. I am not sure what other destinations are on the 'no liquids' list.

According to the signs in HKIA duty free, only Australia and the US.

 

[Febs]

Unfortunately, you can't buy grog in HKIA if departing for Australia. Or indeed anything above 100ml, period. I am not sure what other destinations are on the 'no liquids' list.

Well that sucks. I wonder if I could buy duty-free in HKG on my way to KUL, then pack it in my bags for the return KUL-HKG-SYD. Seems I might be able to.

Cheers,
- Febs.

 

[serfty]

Well that sucks. I wonder if I could buy duty-free in HKG on my way to KUL, then pack it in my bags for the return KUL-HKG-SYD. Seems I might be able to. ...

Certainly!

Note this relates to liquids only.

 

[YQY]

How do these prices at Duty Free Stores (NZ) stack up? I was planning to get the Veuve twin pack plus a bottle of the Dom Vintage. Veuve for Xmas and Dom for then newest YQY arrives.

I have a membership with DFS.

Wine - Champagne & Sparkling wine

 

[serfty]

Here's a comparison between F1rst duty free stores in Oz and Duty Free Stores New Zealand - Free delivery to all Airports for three types of bubbles at various pricing levels:

• $220 : $150 - Dom Perignon
  • F1rst sells Dom (NV?) for AUD220, the NZ stores sells Vintage for NZD196 (~AUD150)
• $69 : $46 - Moet & Chandon Reserve
  • F1rst sells Moet & Chandon Reserve Imperial for AUD69, the NZ stores sells it for NZD60 (~AUD46)
• $45 : $30 - Piper Heidsieck
  • F1rst sells Piper Heidsieck Triple Pack for AUD134 (~AUD45 per bottle), the NZ stores sells it for NZD77 (~AUD30 per bottle)

 

[Keith009]

• $220 : $150 - Dom Perignon
  • ...the NZ stores sells Vintage for NZD196 (~AUD150)

DP for $150/bottle is very good! Assuming the very favourable forex rates stay as they are...

Hmm, I could be mistaken, but I don't think I've ever come across non vintage Dom Perignon.

 

[serfty]

...
Hmm, I could be mistaken, but I don't think I've ever come across non vintage Dom Perignon.

Maybe Kiwi's need to be reminded ... didn't know myself as I've never spent that much on a BOP ...

 

[Keith009]

Maybe Kiwi's need to be reminded ... didn't know myself as I've never spent that much on a BOP ...

Much prefer Krug or Charles Heidsieck BDM 95 myself, unless it's the 1996 vintage of DP Rose. The regular DP, with perhaps the exception of the 2000, is a little like drinking air. Still, OH is a big fan of DP and it's criminal to turn down any bubbly when served.

 

[equus]

Hmm, I could be mistaken, but I don't think I've ever come across non vintage Dom Perignon.

There isn't any such beast. DP is Vintage only, not produced every year, aged for a minimum of 7 years (12 iirc for Rose). Interestingly, quite a large proportion of production (something like 15%+ is in Magnums and larger).

The tour of the Moet & Chandon caves in Epernay is well worth while - there is something impressive about a cave stacked with 80,000 bottles of Dom :shock:

 

[notzac]

The tour of the Moet & Chandon caves in Epernay is well worth while - there is something impressive about a cave stacked with 80,000 bottles of Dom :shock:

Now there's something I want to see..!

 

[Febs]

Certainly!

Note this relates to liquids only.

The only DF worth buying!

 

[Keith009]

Now there's something I want to see..!

+1, emphatically!