Looking to acquire two less common Vodkas

ED E · 28-12-2014 10:38pm #1

Hi all,

You'll probably snigger at this, but I'm looking for two flavoured vodkas that are tricky to source here.

1. Smirnoff Espresso

Spotted a post about somebody I follow in the UK drinking some of this stuff, jumped on amazon and ordered myself a bottle. Comes to about €34 with the PM delivery fee, but technically its tax and duty liable and I'd probably be stung if I ordered 4/5 bottles. So I was wondering if anywhere locally (South/Central Dublin) might stock it? Just be convenient to be able to run in and grab it as needed.

Thats the easy one.

2. Sobieski Karamel

Tried this in Poland. Call me a big girl but its just lovely stuff. They do a "liqueur" version thats sold in france, and I spotted it in airports on the way home, but cant see anyone with the real deal. Seems a load of US websites have it but shipping + taxes to get it here is a little out of my budget.

Anyone have an idea where might be able to get it?

Thanks,
ED-E

irish_goat · 28-12-2014 10:44pm

Have never seen either of them in Ireland. You could probably have a go at recreating them yourself by steeping vodka in coffee/caramel. If you ask nicely a specialist off license might be able to get you the Smirnoff but I'd say you'd need to make some Polish friends with baggage allowance to get the 2nd one.

ED E · 28-12-2014 10:51pm

irish_goat wrote: »

Have never seen either of them in Ireland. You could probably have a go at recreating them yourself by steeping vodka in coffee/caramel. If you ask nicely a specialist off license might be able to get you the Smirnoff but I'd say you'd need to make some Polish friends with baggage allowance to get the 2nd one.

I'm working on the latter, last run they had no checked bags with which to stash it.

The steeping idea hadnt occurred to me. Must read up on that.

Kintarō Hattori · 28-12-2014 11:03pm

ED E wrote: »

I'm working on the latter, last run they had no checked bags with which to stash it.

The steeping idea hadnt occurred to me. Must read up on that.

And I'm just back from Christmas in Poland! If I had of known I'd have kept an eye out for you and brought it back had I seen it. I increased my inventory with some bottles of Nalewka Babuni cherry, Amaretto, Zubrowka Palona and of course my favourite Polish tipple- Żołądkowa Gorzka.

I'm not back there unfortunately until April of next year but will happily bring some back if you haven't had any luck by then.

ED E · 28-12-2014 11:14pm

Thanks for the offer, think a mates polish OH will be heading that way soonish

I tried a load of different brands and flavours while there, the difference between Polish vodka and the stuff we get here is just insane. Wish I remembered some of the names but I think I tried a few too many for that.

Ravelleman · 29-12-2014 12:02am

ED E wrote: »

Comes to about €34 with the PM delivery fee, but technically its tax and duty liable and I'd probably be stung if I ordered 4/5 bottles.

Parcel Motel won't accept packages containing alcohol.

L1011 · 29-12-2014 1:06am

You're not going to get that first bottle... cancel immediately if you can, PM won't forward it on.

ED E · 29-12-2014 9:19am

It arrived ages ago and has been finished. Empty bottle is sitting on a shelf.

L1011 · 29-12-2014 3:54pm

ED E wrote: »

It arrived ages ago and has been finished. Empty bottle is sitting on a shelf.

Sheer luck, in that case. Consumer Issues forum here is full of people having alcohol returned by Parcel Motel.

Creamy Goodness · 29-12-2014 3:57pm

Ravelleman wrote: »

Parcel Motel won't accept packages containing alcohol.

Hope they don't cop on that I've been ordering brewdog through them for the last 2 years :pac:

spurious · 29-12-2014 4:00pm

Talk to your local Polish shop people. They have vans going back and forward all the time picking up stuff.

ED E · 29-12-2014 9:08pm

spurious wrote: »

Talk to your local Polish shop people. They have vans going back and forward all the time picking up stuff.

Sounds like a plan, cheers.

Ravelleman · 29-12-2014 10:03pm

ED E wrote: »

It arrived ages ago and has been finished. Empty bottle is sitting on a shelf.

The comments were made with good intentions.

suicide_circus · 30-12-2014 7:10am

Smirnoff espresso available in dublin airport at about 30euro per litre.

Lucena · 31-12-2014 3:04pm

spurious wrote: »

Talk to your local Polish shop people. They have vans going back and forward all the time picking up stuff.

I've been in a few Polski Skleps but they never had alcohol in any form (wodka or pivo) so I always assumed they just didn't have a licence to sell it, as it wouldn't be worth their while unless that was a huge part of their business.

Anyone have any info on this?

spurious · 31-12-2014 3:46pm

Lucena wrote: »

I've been in a few Polski Skleps but they never had alcohol in any form (wodka or pivo) so I always assumed they just didn't have a licence to sell it, as it wouldn't be worth their while unless that was a huge part of their business.

Anyone have any info on this?

They wouldn't need to be selling it in the shop. It is quite legal to bring a crate of vodka home with you for your own use. The OP could tell the shop what he/she wants, pay them for it and pick it up when the van arrives.

There are vans going all the time to Poland and to the Baltic states - my partner regularly gets stuff brought over and back. Mostly pickles and strange meat products, but sometimes alcohol. Once the tax and duty has been paid on it in the original country, there's no issue, unless you're bringing in mad amounts.

L1011 · 31-12-2014 3:59pm

spurious wrote: »

It is quite legal to bring a crate of vodka home with you for your own use. The OP could tell the shop what he/she wants, pay them for it and pick it up when the van arrives.

Its not for their own use, then, though.

They would have to ensure that it clearly "belonged" to the driver, not the shop products in the truck.

Snowc · 31-12-2014 10:10pm

Ravelleman wrote: »

The comments were made with good intentions.

Scaremongering more like :rolleyes: I have received alcohol multiple times per month from parcel motel without one failed delivery

Ravelleman · 31-12-2014 10:55pm

Snowc wrote: »

Scaremongering more like :rolleyes: I have received alcohol multiple times per month from parcel motel without one failed delivery

It's the Red Scare.

L1011 · 01-01-2015 7:35pm

Snowc wrote: »

Scaremongering more like :rolleyes: I have received alcohol multiple times per month from parcel motel without one failed delivery

http://www.parcelmotel.com/prohibited.html - item 18

Its sheer luck and/or inadequately marked packaging, if its marked as it should be and they're paying attention, its not getting through.

dudara · 01-01-2015 7:40pm

The Smirnoff Espresso vodka is available on Master of Malt for €25.42, although shipping would need to be factored in also. Unfortunately they only stock regular Sobieski vodka, but I have ordered the Stoli salted caramel vodka from them in the past (currently €28.64). They probably carry other caramel-flavoured vodkas too.

Trond · 02-01-2015 3:21pm

L1011 wrote: »

http://www.parcelmotel.com/prohibited.html - item 18

Its sheer luck and/or inadequately marked packaging, if its marked as it should be and they're paying attention, its not getting through.

I was told the same thing but got two bottles of spirits via amazon through them before xmas. Both boxes were clearly stamped and labelled "alcoholic beverage".

ED E · 02-01-2015 11:06pm

dudara wrote: »

The Smirnoff Espresso vodka is available on Master of Malt for €25.42, although shipping would need to be factored in also. Unfortunately they only stock regular Sobieski vodka, but I have ordered the Stoli salted caramel vodka from them in the past (currently €28.64). They probably carry other caramel-flavoured vodkas too.

Might email them and see if they have a distributor they could get it in from. Thanks for the tip!

Looking to acquire two less common Vodkas

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