Sending Liquor Abroad from US
 

I've checked the USPS site and can't come up with a definitive answer... Does anyone know if it is possible to send a single bottle of liquor from the US to Europe (specifically Italy)? I made a new friend in Venice and would like to send him a bottle of small batch bourbon. Thanks!

I'd call Mail Boxes, etc. or any of those mailing businesses and ask them and have them wrap and ship it. I'd then also feel better about expecting it to arrive safely.

It is illegal to ship liquor into many places (including the US) unless you are a distributor. Italy also has a duty on liquor, which I assume you would not want your friend to pay before he could collect the package. Mailboxes etc probably does not accept liquor for shipment; and if you ship it and don't reveal the contents to them, but it is caught at customs in Italy then it could be confiscated and/or your friend could be fined.

Contact the distiller and ask if they can ship it and if you can pay the duty.

The website for the Italian customs authority is http://www.mclink.it/. There does not appear to be an English version.

Definitely not thru USPS! They wouldn't even accept a package of toys I'd packed in a old wine carton! I had to take it home and rebox it!

I don't know if UPS/FedEx or other shipping services will ship liquor, but I do know that the USPS forbids mailing intoxicating liquors.
I once tried to ship a package in a cardboard box that once contained Maker's Mark ( the name of the bourbon was on the outside of the box.)
Even though my package contained no liquor, I wasn't allowed to use that box for mailing.

I couldn't stand all this guessing, so called Mail Boxes, Etc. "We are not allowed to ship alcohol anywhere."

Thank you everyone! Guess I'll send flowers instead, and take the bourbon with me when I fly there next time. :)

Hi bean,

Before you go,

"Transporting Special Items

Transporting Alcoholic Beverages

Alcoholic beverages with more than 70% alcohol content (140 proof), including 95% grain alcohol and 150 proof rum, are prohibited from carry-on and checked luggage. Up to 5 liters of alcohol with alcoholic content between 24% and 70% are allowed per person as carry-on or checked luggage if packaged in its retail container. Alcoholic beverages with less than 24% alcoholic content are not subject to hazardous materials regulations."

http://www.tsa.gov/public/interapp/e...orial_1189.xml

Thanks for posting that regulation, Ira. When returning from Munich this fall, I had a bottle of pear liqueur (spectacular over vanilla ice cream) in my carry-on. At security, the inspector had me remove it from the bag so he could check the alcoholic content. This was a first for me, as I didn't realize that alcohol above a certain proof was prohibited. Luckily, the liqueur met the requirement, otherwise we'd have had a party right there at the gate!

Standing in line at the post office yesterday I heard the clerk ask everyone who was mailing a parcel if it contained any liquid, was fragile, or was potentially hazardous. Booze meets all these criteria but I asked anyway. As mentioned above, no go.

If it was shipped across state lines there would also be the problems of ABC prohibitions in some states. There are even a few retarded states where it is still a felony to ship alcohol into the state.

However, my company does ship wines interstate by UPS, for some states. You might check with the brown truck company to see what they say about Italy.

This is an eye-opener for me. I had previously sent specialty wines to the UK (single bottle, 8-10 oz). The people at my local post office didn't even bat an eye. It was written on the customs form and I told them what it in the package. They even marked the box fragile for me! Of course, this was 2 years ago. Won't try that again.

I have sent wine all over the world without a problem other than the usual delays. High etoh (flammable) spirits are another problem. Weather is an obvious consideration.
M