Taxes and Laws

[PyratSteve]

No doubt this question is a can of worms but I'd like to understand the US a bit better. I have gleaned from my short experience with this site that each state handles what is for sale differently. Certain rums in certain states? Different pricing etc?

Can someone please give me a dummies guide to how things work there please?

Now, I realise this will horrify many of you but for those interested I'll let you know how things work here. Australia has excise and duty (tax) on alcohol.
I'll talk in US dollars here. The cheapest bottle of very poor spirits will cost is about $25. A bottle of Bundy or Captain Morgan is about the $30, a bottle of Pyrat XO is $56 and I have only seen one bottle of Zacapa XO and it was $250.

[Edward Hamilton]

In a nutshell you got it. Each state has different taxes and regulations. It's like dealing with a lot of separate countries, no two are the same. There are control states and non-control states - state run stores and free enterprise stores.

Basically you import to the US under a federal permit, then you claw and scratch your way through the bureaucracy in each state. For a new importer you forget the control states and concentrate on a few of the other states. If it was easy everyone would be doing it.

[black_strap]

Taxes and red tape notwithstanding, I also assume that geographic distance from the source region is also an issue with price/availability?

Are there any rum producers down under? It would make sense that Australian distillers could get cane from Indonesia and surrounding islands. Is there any substance to that?

[PyratSteve]

Yeah, freight is an issue but not a massive cost when dealing in bulk and we have a few distilleries, Bundaberg, Inner Circle (kind of in Fiji at the moment), Canefire and Hoochery. The Australian sugar industry is massive, almost on par with the US. We are stripping the protection it receives and lobbying the US to do the same.

In short we have good wages and high taxes.

[PyratSteve]

Thanks again guys.

One follow up question; what are the preferred States for an international order? I'm gleaning that California is one but who else is good across the board?

Given the low number of good rums that make it int Australia, I'm looking to build a relationship with a store that isn't going to see shipping to the other side of the world as a pain.

So in short I suppose I'm asking for a store with a great range of rum, good across the board pricing and is happy to box things up and ship internationally.

[RonJames]

NY is another, shoppersvineyard.com is good and I believe there is a member here that works there snadel, anyway he is extremely helpful and might be able to help you out. There's also HiTimes with Forest in CA. DRINKupNY.COM, another site in Italy and a couple in england...but you'd have to figure the exchange rate and see whats cheapest.

[UnkleNeeko]

Thanks again guys.

One follow up question; what are the preferred States for an international order? I'm gleaning that California is one but who else is good across the board?

Given the low number of good rums that make it int Australia, I'm looking to build a relationship with a store that isn't going to see shipping to the other side of the world as a pain.

So in short I suppose I'm asking for a store with a great range of rum, good across the board pricing and is happy to box things up and ship internationally.

During my trip to Australia, I really enjoyed a bottle of Ord River Rum. I found it had a lot of character. I searched and searched to bring a bottle home for memories, but it seemed rather unknown and unavailable in Sydney, Brisbane and the surrounds. If you know of anyone imorting this to the US, let me know! Speaking of Aussie rums, Kinky Rum made for a fine cosmo..

Best of luck in your endeavors.

Cheers,

[PyratSteve]

NY is another, shoppersvineyard.com is good and I believe there is a member here that works there snadel, anyway he is extremely helpful and might be able to help you out. There's also HiTimes with Forest in CA. DRINKupNY.COM, another site in Italy and a couple in england...but you'd have to figure the exchange rate and see whats cheapest.
Thanks,
Unfortunately Shoppers Vineyard were not able to help. No one else has replied yet. I live in hope that Hi Times will come to the party as they have a few things in there that I'd like.

[fresnel151]

Hello PyratSteve, I just returned from Perth this weekend - nice city you got there mate. The festivities for ANZAC day were impressive.

I got a chance to hit a liquor store and was really surprised at the prices and selection. I guess the 25% excise tax you mentioned was the reason. A 700ml bottle of the Bundy under-proof on sale for $30 was the least expensive I saw.

I wonder if the spirits sold at the airport also include the excise tax? A much larger (1300ml or something like that) of the same Bundy was only $30.