Travelling to Paris: What Bottles To Bring Back?

[lemon_twist]

I have a friend who will be traveling to France in a few weeks and has offered to bring me back a bottle or two. I was going to ask him to price check the chartreuse line (esp. the elixir vegetal which I haven't seen too much about here) and maybe Amer Picon. Do you guys have any other suggestions? I don't see myself going to Europe anytime in the next 15 years so I don't want to let this go by.

[Wild Bill Turkey]

There are some magnificent distilled absinthes available in France that may never make it over here. Don't know if you're interested, but if you are, I can list a few, and where to buy them.

Edited September 6, 2008 by Wild Bill Turkey (log)

[jmfangio]

The Elixir Vegetal would be at the top of my list. Another one to consider is Suze, which is no longer imported here, and probably wont' be for the foreseeable future.

I'm also quite intrigued by the Perique Liqueur de Tabac, and Royal Combier (click here) for info.

[lemon_twist]

Thanks guys,

I had Suze on my list, but took it off because I saw it in a store and I thought I was mistaken about it's US availability. I hope it is still there! The Perique Liqueur de Tabac looks very intriguing. That is now at the top of the list. Do you think it will be hard to find, even in France?

As for the Absinthe, I don't really want my friend to do anything illegal for me. If it was my own suitcase I might take a chance. As is, I'm worried that the elixir vegetal might be on the borderline. I read that it is sold in drugstores in France?? Can't trust everything you read on the internet though...

[tikibars]

Absinthe is now legal in most (all?) US States.

So the issue here is no longer whether or not you can get Absinthe in the US, but rather whether or not the ones from Europe are better... and that of course is entirely subjective.

[lemon_twist]

The only brands you can legally bring back are the ones that have been approved. The US customs page has a big article specifically about absinthe.

[Wild Bill Turkey]

It's ironic, up until this year I would have said with confidence that it would be no problem bringing a bottle or two back in your suitcase, because the chances of encountering a customs inspector who had ever heard of absinthe, let alone knew that it was in any way controlled, would have been virtually nil. Even then, the policy was never clear on customs' treatment of absinthe, and the very worst that one risked was confiscation of the bottle.

This year, however, the issue has been raised, and in legalizing absinthe in it's limited way, the government has made all of its various agencies more aware of it. There never before existed any comprehensive written guidelines on the treatment of absinthe by US customs, but I absolutely believe you that one exists now. In which case, you're right surely not to ask your friend to travel with it.

[jmfangio]

The Perique Liqueur de Tabac looks very intriguing.  That is now at the top of the list.  Do you think it will be hard to find, even in France?

←

I did a quick Google search in French, and found this store in Paris which lists it in their catalog. Looks like a fun place to shop!

[Wild Bill Turkey]

Too Quick! I was about to edit my own post to mention that this store in Paris also carries both the Perique and the Royal Combier! And it is definitely a fun place to shop.

Edited September 7, 2008 by Wild Bill Turkey (log)

[jmfangio]

Ha! And now I find myself browsing through French online liquor stores, and I'm seeing lots of interesting stuff that I've never heard of. Creme de Verveine? New to me.

[rmillman]

a place to shop

http://www.vertdabsinthe.com

a place to drink

http://www.cantada.net/

[Dangermonkey]

The other concern is how to bring your goodies back.

I strongly suggest one of those giant fish scales they now have for luggage - they're cheap (a lot less than an overweight bag!) small, and very handy (OK 2 more bottles ! ).Also bring a collapsable duffel to put in your outgoing hardcase to put dirty laundry in on the way back - that way you aren't paying for a extra empty bag outbound.

For the truly paranoiac get a Halliburton case (Aluminum photographers case) you can get them on eBay cheap if you are patient and keep throwing low bids in.Eventually you'll get one or two.

A company called Bottlewise makes a great carry transport bag that is waterproof on the inside so you don't soak your wardrobe if a bottle breaks. Or you can do the old photographers trick of using hotel towels or whatever to wrap them in