Booze from Malaysia - is it worth it?

[The Ref]

Heading to KL next week and wondering if it is worth buying booze there and paying the duty on the way back. Top shelf spirits here are so expensive I was wondering if the duty option is worth it.

As an example, my favourite spirit is $56 duty free and $125 as the cheapest I have found locally. So paying around $35 for duty is still worth it to buy DF and bring it back, but was wondering if I can get better deals in KL.

Going further, if the price is right it might be worth a trip to JB and a customs declaration every few months.

I don't travel often enough to keep the stocks up with duty free and I do most business trips to KL so no DF allowance

Thanks.

[Strong Eagle]

Hard liquor is taxed at $70 per liter of alcohol. An 80 proof bottle is 40 percent alcohol... therefore, your tax on you $56 bottle is .4 * $70 * 1 liter = $28, bringing your total cost to $84.

I don't know where you are shopping but all the food stores are hellaciously expensive when it comes to booze. I used to shop at a place on Serangoon that was far cheaper than any food store, so much so that the difference between their retail prices and a duty free plus tax, wasn't very much. Check the link for details about the store. The other store, Eng Hin Hoe, is also cheaper than food stores but not as cheap as Chandna Mart.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Seran ... feebcaeecd

The forum board is gumming up the Google maps link... try this one:

http://goo.gl/83GD8o

I lived in KL and traveled back and forth frequently. Duty free at the airport in KL is not as cheap as in Singapore but still OK. The problem is that if you are flying out with Singapore as the destination, you really have to argue with them to purchase a bottle and sometimes I have been refused. You can pick up a bottle coming in, or three or four, then pack them in your suitcase for the trip back out.

This place (below) near KL Sentral will make you an excellent deal on spirits if you tell him you want to take them out of the country... ie, duty free not at the airport.

http://goo.gl/OruJKS

[ecureilx]

The problem is that if you are flying out with Singapore as the destination, you really have to argue with them to purchase a bottle and sometimes I have been refused.

yah, that's been my experience too.

When they found out I was going to SG, I was refused ..

PS, your google maps link got truncated

Is that the place, across the old No Sign Board / Race Course Lane ??

[The Ref]

As an update, the tax on liquor has gone to $88 per litre, but SE's calculations are otherwise correct and it is still cheaper than buying in Singapore. There is a thread from last year on cheap places to buy alcohol in Singapore and the places listed are still good.

Researching a bit more, it seems the price in KL is also high so not much benefit in getting it there, but getting duty free on the way out and paying duty on the way in still seems a better option.

Is there anywhere in Asia good for buying top shelf spirits? Yamazaki here is around $300 a bottle but only $98AUD in Aus. It is almost worth a cheap flight to Darwin for a meat and booze run.

[JR8]

I used to shop at a place on Serangoon that was far cheaper than any food store, so much so that the difference between their retail prices and a duty free plus tax, wasn't very much. Check the link for details about the store.

Good tip -

Chandna Mart
232 Serangoon Road

About 200M before Mustafa if heading from Orchard area.

I'll have to go and check it out next time I'm heading that way.

[Strong Eagle]

The problem is that if you are flying out with Singapore as the destination, you really have to argue with them to purchase a bottle and sometimes I have been refused.

yah, that's been my experience too.

When they found out I was going to SG, I was refused ..

PS, your google maps link got truncated

Is that the place, across the old No Sign Board / Race Course Lane ??

Use the short link... about 200 meters before Mustafa.

[Strong Eagle]

I used to shop at a place on Serangoon that was far cheaper than any food store, so much so that the difference between their retail prices and a duty free plus tax, wasn't very much. Check the link for details about the store.

Good tip -

Chandna Mart
232 Serangoon Road

About 200M before Mustafa if heading from Orchard area.

I'll have to go and check it out next time I'm heading that way.

They will also try to find your favorite libation if they do not carry it. They brought in MacCallan 18 for my friend at $95 per bottle... about $35 less than anywhere else.

[ecureilx]

The problem is that if you are flying out with Singapore as the destination, you really have to argue with them to purchase a bottle and sometimes I have been refused.

yah, that's been my experience too.

When they found out I was going to SG, I was refused ..

PS, your google maps link got truncated

Is that the place, across the old No Sign Board / Race Course Lane ??

Use the short link... about 200 meters before Mustafa.

missed the short link

yeah, that's the one .. formerly known as "akka's shop .. " .. when NSB Seafood was around the neighbourhood !!

[JR8]

They will also try to find your favorite libation if they do not carry it. They brought in MacCallan 18 for my friend at $95 per bottle... about $35 less than anywhere else.

$95, say £45.

Versus a best price of £135 on Amazon.co.uk
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listin ... dition=new

Ok, so what are the prices on beer like down at the place!?

[Strong Eagle]

They will also try to find your favorite libation if they do not carry it. They brought in MacCallan 18 for my friend at $95 per bottle... about $35 less than anywhere else.

$95, say £45.

Versus a best price of £135 on Amazon.co.uk
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listin ... dition=new

Ok, so what are the prices on beer like down at the place!?

Hmmm... must have been 12 then... can't imagine Singapore being actually cheaper for anything booze related.

Don't know about beer... maybe only singles in the cooler.

[Wd40]

May be we can create a thread here specifically for buying/selling liquor by people who travel overseas and can get 2 ltrs of alcohol into the country.

I am beer drinker so I never buy hard liquor when I am coming back from a travel, but looking at the prices, I always wished to get some bottles and sell it here.

[zzm9980]

May be we can create a thread here specifically for buying/selling liquor by people who travel overseas and can get 2 ltrs of alcohol into the country.

I am beer drinker so I never buy hard liquor when I am coming back from a travel, but looking at the prices, I always wished to get some bottles and sell it here.

You do realize what you're proposing is illegal, right? Duty free is for *personal* consumption.

[JR8]

The 1st column of the classified in the ST always used to be 'Buy Liquor (esp historic), Remy Martin Blue etc' ... don't know if it changed...

[Wd40]

May be we can create a thread here specifically for buying/selling liquor by people who travel overseas and can get 2 ltrs of alcohol into the country.

I am beer drinker so I never buy hard liquor when I am coming back from a travel, but looking at the prices, I always wished to get some bottles and sell it here.

You do realize what you're proposing is illegal, right? Duty free is for *personal* consumption.

I have seen a few ads in other forums, which is why I thought its okay to sell. But you are right, I just looked up the Customs website. Its an offense to even give it away. I mean, you must make sure, you drink it all by yourself I guess its as serious an offense as jaywalking and littering is.

https://www.google.com.sg/?gfe_rd=cr&ei ... ebikes.com

[x9200]

A person with a salary on a P1 level wants to create a separate thread to earn $40 a year selling DFS alcohol.