A Grand Discovery

The Highland Park 16 Display at Schiphol

Unless she is scooping up a host/hostess gift, CA Scotch Chick rarely purchases from Duty Free. In terms of leaving the country, the prices at her local Bevmo, even including taxes, are less than the prices at Newark or Houston. She would also rather explore whisky establishments in foreign cities than sit in her hotel room nursing a bottle from Duty Free. In terms of returning, the post-9/11 rules require individuals to place Duty Free in checked luggage if they transfer in the United States. Since it is impossible to get to San Diego without transferring, and CA Scotch Chick has firm principles against checking luggage, she usually doesn't purchase on the way home. A find on her recent trip to Oslo may have changed all that forever, however, (or at least until Highland Park stops stocking Duty Free Stores with their fantastic creation Highland Park 16). 

Although CA Scotch Chick headed to Oslo with the name of three whisky establishments in her pocket, compliments of WhiskyViking on the Whisky Magazine Forum (Dr. Jekylls Pub, Eik Bar & Vin, and Underbar), she knew that her schedule and the high costs in Oslo would probably preclude any whisky bar exploration. Consequently, she stopped at the Oslo Duty Free on her way out of the airport. Boy, was she ever glad she did.

There on the bottom shelf of the whisky section sat a lone bottle of Highland Park 16 – this was something new – an offering from her favorite distillery she had never seen before. In fact, the reason she hadn't seen it was that Highland Park 16 is only sold in Duty Free Stores. She snatched it up and hurried to her hotel, fervently hoping that her room would be ready so that she could try her new find (no matter that it was 9 o'clock in the morning).

Her room was indeed ready, and she and CA Scotch Gent eagerly opened the bottle before even unpacking or showering. The dram was absolutely wonderful – fruity with a touch of honey and whiff of smoke. It was a perfect cure for jet lag and a perfect start to a week in Oslo. 

The rest of the trip was spent trying to make the bottle last (it only made it 4 days out of the 8, and every precious drop was jealously savored). It was also spent plotting how to get bottles of this incredible liquid home to San Diego. The CA Scotch Couple would be transferring twice on the way back, once in Amsterdam Schiphol and once in Houston, Texas. Should they buy in Oslo or wait until Amsterdam? Amsterdam has a fantastic Duty Free, and it would probably be cheaper to purchase there. But, what if (gasp) Schiphol didn't have it? 

For that matter, would Oslo have it? The departing Duty Free store was bigger than the one for arrivals, but there had, after all, only been one bottle when they arrived. It was definitely worth checking luggage to get this fantastic stuff back, but they were arriving in San Diego at almost midnight, and they were going to be seriously upset if they checked luggage in Oslo but could not procure the Highland Park 16. Such a dilemma! In the end, the CA Scotch Couple decided to wait to check their luggage in Houston and to purchase the Highland Park 16 at their earliest opportunity - a decision that almost cost them dearly!

Meanwhile, back in the states, DC Scotch Chick was receiving raving emails from the CA Scotch Couple regarding this new discovery at the same time that DC Scotch Gent was on a five country circuit throughout Europe and the Middle East. She put out the call to keep an eye out for the Highland Park 16.

The CA Scotch Couple beat DC Scotch Gent back to the United States by a couple of days. They hit Oslo airport early to give them plenty of time at the Duty Free, and were pleased to discover an entire shelf of Highland Park 16. After confirming with an agent that they would be able to transfer it through Schiphol (yes, the bag was sealed, so it could go through), they purchased two bottles. 

Transferring in Amsterdam, they stopped by the Duty Free just to see if they would have been able to get the Highland Park 16 there. To their dismay, they saw huge displays of the stuff, complete with video monitors about it – for 16 dollars a bottle less than they had paid in Oslo. They watched in fascination at the beauty of Highland Park's marketing ability, consoled themselves that 32 dollars was a small price to pay for knowing that they would definitely have it, and cheered up when they remembered that they would be traveling to Amsterdam in a little over a month. They wandered on to their gate satisfied with their decision.

The trouble started at the x-ray machine at the gate. When the guard noted that the Duty Free was from Oslo, he very politely and sadly told the CA Scotch Couple he was going to have to confiscate the bottles. Unbeknownst to the Oslo Duty Free agent, the US TSA rules are that the only Duty Free that can come into the United States in carry on luggage has to come from the airport where the flight originates, even if they passenger has been in transit the entire time and never left the terminal. 

CA Scotch Chick simply couldn't help it, tears sprung to her eyes. The guard took pity on her and went across the waiting area to ask the gate agent if he would gate check the bag. As best she could, CA Scotch Chick turned her baby blues across the distance with a begging glance. It worked! The gate agent agreed to check the bag, and the whisky was saved (with many cheers and thanks from the CA Scotch Couple).

Two days later, CA Scotch Chick received a message from DC Scotch Chick that read, "He found the whisky in Istanbul, and he is only 10 minutes away by cab!" It was followed an hour later by the message, "Now I know why you checked bags. If this were the only whisky left in the world, I would still be happy."

Ah, bliss. Now, if we can only figure out how to keep the Drinks Table stocked with the stuff. Gotta start working on more European connections or more self control.

Below please find the Scotch Chix review of Highland Park 16. Available only in Duty Free stores.