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Saturday 26 March 2022

L-1 PRICES GURGAON LOWER THAN DUTY FREE?

 L-1 PRICES BELOW DUTY-FREE STORE PRICES

L-1 Liquor vendors in Gurugram have decided to hike the prices of liquor by varying degrees to keep their costs marginally lower than those currently being charged by Delhi liquor vendors. This will allow them to remain in competition with the Delhi market. Delhi introduced their new excise policy allowing retailers to offer huge discounts, attracting people from Gurgaon, Noida and Faridabad. The shopkeepers of Gurgaon began to feel the heat as the local market was disrupted. Teetotallers stood buy silently, wondering what the frenzy was about.

Liquor shop owners are eyeing profits with this move after they suffered huge losses over the past two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. According to shopkeepers, since liquor in Haryana does not have a maximum retail price (MRP), they can sell it at any price without offering discounts to customers and still offer the best deals vis-a-vis the national capital.

Currently, prices in the L-1 stores in Gurgaon are lower than the prices in the Duty-Free Stores at New Delhi airport, and in numerous instances, match, if not better DFS prices in Dubai and Singapore. The table below compares the prices of Scotch whisky across the nearest DFS at Singapore and Dubai, and, in certain cases, New York and Frankfurt. Macallan has too many expressions in the Gurgaon market for me to pin down four. I'll attend to that by and by.  

From amongst the Blended Scotch whiskies, I would stay away from run-of-the-mill brands and certainly from Bottled in India Blended Scotch whiskies. The only brands worth buying are Johnnie Walker Black Label at its throwaway price of Rs 1,800; the Black Label 12 Islay Origin, the White Walker, the Double Black, the Gold, the Green blended malt, the Swing if ever available and the 18 YO. The price of these bottles in India is at a lifetime low. Next would be the Chivas Regal 12, 15, and 18-year-olds, at equally low prices. Just compare them to the prices in DFS overseas! The only Ballantine worth buying is the 17 YO. The Dewar’s 18 YO follows in alphabetical order, with the Dimple Pinch 15 YO right behind. The Islay Mist and the Six Isles blended malt are good blends to have on the list, followed by my personal favourite, the Highland Queen Majesty. 

An entry in maroon indicates that the price of that expression is lower than at DFS at home and abroad. Please understand that these are my selections and recommendations. There is no compulsion that you accept my recommendations and/or advice, except to drink moderately and refrain from driving thereafter. 

Note: All prices are compared at equalised volumes since most bottles at Duty-Free Shops at Ports are sold in bottles of 1.0 Litre capacity.

COMPARISON OF LIQUOR PRICES GURGAON L1 VS DFS AT DUBAI, DELHI & SINGAPORE

BRAND NAME

Rec

Discovery

GTown 

Lake Forest

REMARKS

Dubai

Delhi

S’pore

ABERFELDY 12 YO

3000

3000

3000

MUST BUY

4060

4960

4620

ABERFELDY 14 YO

X

 

 

 

12 YO GOOD ENOUGH

NA

NA

NA

ABERLOUR 12 YO

3200

3500

3500

GOOD BUY

NA

5270

6340

ABERLOUR 15 YO

?

5200

5500

5400

OPTIONAL

 

 

 

ABERLOUR 18 YO

X

10,000

NA

NA

NOT WORTH IT

 

 

 

ABERLOUR  ABUNADH

X

TOO STRONG 61% ABV, FLAVOURSOME BUT BURNS NOSE & THROAT

NA

 7360

NA

ARDBEG 10 YO

5200

5000

5600

GOOD BUY

NA

 4260

5835

ARDBEG WEE BEASTIE 5YO

X

3900

3900

4500

SO SO

NA

NA

NA

ARDMORE 12 YO

X

2300

2500

2500

DISAPPOINTING

2210

2500

5655

AUCHENTOSHAN 12 YO

3100

3200

3200

MILD DRAM; @ 2900 JFK

NA

3200

3950

AUCHENTOSHAN 3 WOOD

X

NA

NA

4000

NO NEED

NA

4970

4940

AUCHROISK 12 YO

NA

NA

5150

GOOD BUY

NA

NA

NA

AULTMORE 12 YO

4600

4900

NA

MUST BUY

4825

NA

NA

AULTMORE 14 YO

5100

NA

NA

GOOD BUY

NA

NA

NA

AULTMORE 18 YO

7100

7100

8,000

EXCELLENT BUY

NA

NA

NA

BALBLAIR 12 YO

X

4600

4900

NA

VALUE FOR MONEY VFM

NA

NA

9525

BALVENIE D'BLEWOOD 12

X

6200

6200

6200

NVFM

6115

NA

NA

BALVENIE  D'BLEWOOD 14

X

8000

8000

8000

40% ABV TOO LOW

8020

NA

NA

BALVENIE  D'BLEWOOD 17

X

18,000

18,000

18,500

40% ABV AND 18,000?

NA

NA

NA

BALVENIE TRIPLE 12 1L

X

NA

NA

8750

TRAVEL  EDITION 40%

NA

7290

NA

BALVENIE 16 TRIPLE  1L

X

NA

NA 

12,500

TRAVEL  EDITION 40%

NA

11590

NA

BENRIACH 12 YO

X

NA

NA

7,500

PRICEY

7240

NA

NA

BOWMORE 12 YO  40%

X

2700

2700

2800

SUB-PAR ISLAY

NA

NA

4200

BOWMORE 15 YO  43%

?

5500

5800

5500

FAIR BUY

3875

4020

5835

BOWMORE 18 YO  43%

10,000

NA

9500

          GOOD BUY

13530

8440

7405

BUNNAHABHAIN 12 46.3%

NA

NA

5200

MUST BUY

4800

NA

NA

BRUICHLADDICH PORT CHARLOTTE 10 50%

NA

NA

9000

MUST BUY @6350 FKFT

7175

NA

7750

BRUICHLADDICH      CLASSIC 50%

8500

8500

8500

MUST BUY@ 4270 FKFT

7175

NA

6450

CAOL ILA 12 YO 70CL 40%

3500

3400

4200

MUST BUY

6420

6290

NA

CARDHU 12 YO 70CL 40%

4800

4500

4600

GOOD BUY

NA

4720

4500

CLYNELISH 14 YO 75CL 46%

4600

4600

4600

MUST BUY

6060

NA

NA

COPPER DOG 12 YO 70CL

2100

2700

2700

MUST BUY

NA

2275

3650

CRAGGANMORE 12  43%

2900

3100

3300

GOOD BUY

NA

NA

NA

CRAIGELLACHIE 13 YO

4000

4000

4000

MUST BUY

5350

4715

6340

CRAIGELLACHIE 17 YO

7100

NA

7500

EXCELLENT VFM

NA

NA

NA

DALMORE 12 YO

?

7100

7100

7100

NVFM

NA

7070

5900

DALMORE 15 YO

?

9000

9000

9000

GOOD BUY

NA

10,070

8415

DALWHINNIE 15 YO

4000

3600

4000

MUST BUY

5830

NA

NA

GLENALLACHIE 12 YO 46%

NA

NA

7000

MUST BUY

  7800

NA

NA

GLENBURGIE        BALLANTINE 15

X

3500

NA

3800

BALLANTINE SINGLE MALT WORTH A TRY

NA

NA

NA

GLENDRONACH 10 YO

X

NA

NA

7500

PRICEY @ 3900 FKFT

NA

4200

6120

GLENDRONACH 12

NA

NA

10,300

GOOD BUT PRICEY

NA

8900

NA

GLENFIDDICH 12 YO

2900

2900

2900

MUST BUY

4770

NA

NA

GLENFIDDICH 15 YO

4500

4500

4500

SOLERA MUST BUY

NA

4900

    5600

GLENFIDDICH 18 YO

X

8500

8700

8700

NVFM

6500

8490

NA

GLENFIDDICH XX

5500

NA

NA

MUST BUY

NA

5420

NA

GLENFIDDICH IPA 43% 

X

5000

NA

5000          

SKIP

 

 

 

GLENGOYNE  12  70CL  43%

4100

3900

4300

MUST BUY

6600

5260

8000

GLENKINCHIE 12  43%

3600

3500

4000

GOOD BUY

 

 

 

GLENLIVET 12 70 CL 40%

2900

2800

2900

MUST BUY

3600

3380

6400

GLENLIVET 15 70 CL 40%

X

4500

4500

4500

GOOD BUY

NA

5295

  7575

GLENLIVET FOUNDER’S

4000

NA

4200

GOOD BUY

7350

3040

  NA

GLENLIVET NADURRA

X

6300

NA

6200

CASK STRENGTH~60%

NA

5160

NA

GLENLIVET 18 YO

X

NA

8200

8500

NVFM

7380

NA

NA

GLENMORANGIE 10

3200

3300

3800

MUST BUY; 3025 @ JFK

3000

3640

4650

GLEN’GIE LASANTA 12

X

5700

5600

5700

SKIP

NA

NA

5560

GLEN’GIE NECTAR D’OR 

6000

5500

6300

46% MUST BUY 

NA

NA

  6620

--DO-- QUINTA RUBAN 14

?

6000

5700

NA

GOOD BUY

NA

NA

NA

GLENMORANGIE SIGNET

X

18000

17500

17000

TOO PRICEY

13,175

18,730

16,000

GLENMORANGIE X

X

4500

NA

4000

FOR MIXING; AVOID

NA

NA

NA

GLEN GRANT 10

X

3000

3000

3000

UNDERDONE

2300

2825

2960

GLEN GRANT 12

X

3200

3200

3200

UNDERDONE

2860

3400

3800

HIGHLAND PARK 12 40%

3900

4000

3900

      MUST BUY 3650             @JFK

5500

NA

NA

HIGHLAND QUEEN S MALT

NA

NA

2800

MUST BUY IF AV’BLE

NA

NA

NA

JURA 10

X

4500

4200

4800

GOOD BUY

NA

NA

NA

JURA 12

5300

5300

5400

GOOD BUY

NA

4450

4200

KAVALAN CONCERTM'R

X

7000

7000

NA

YOUR CALL

NA

NA

4825

KAVALAN CLASSIC

X

7000

NA

7000

YOUR CALL

NA

7080

NA

KAVALAN SOLIST SHERRY

11,000

NA

NA

   SUPER BUT NVFM

NA

NA

9550

KAVALAN DIST’RY SELECT

X

8000

8000

NA

NVFM

NA

NA

5600

KILCHOMAN SANAIG

3500

9000

NA

MUST BUY

NA

NA

NA

LAPHROAIG 1815

X

NA

NA

11,000

NVFM;  8850 AT FRKFT

10,250

10,070

7830

LAPHROAIG SELECT 40%

X

3500

3500

3500

~3350 IN THE WEST

NA

NA

4480

LAPH'G  QTR CASK 48%

4400

4600

4400

MUST BUY 6100 @ JFK

NA

NA

5600

LAGAVULIN 16

8500

8700

9500

MUST BUY

8740

NA

7525

LAGAVULIN 8

?

NA

NA

7200

OPTIONAL

7000

NA

6850

LONGMORN DIST EDN

6300

6900

7900

GOOD BUY

7200

NA

NA

LOSSIT

NA

4800

NA

MUST BUY

NA

NA

NA

MACALLAN SHERRY OAK 12

    X

NA 

9800    

NA

OVERPRICED

NA

6200

6300 JFK

MACALLAN TRIPLE 12

    

6500 

6500    

 NA

OPTIONAL 

NA

 

9900

MACALLAN DOUBLE 12 YO

    

5500

5500    

 NA

GOOD BUY 

NA

 

7200

RAMPUR DOUBLE CASK

    

5200

5600    

 NA

MUST BUY 

NA

7390

7200

MONKEY SHOULDER

2800

2800

3000

MUST BUY  2050@ JFK

2400

2525

3100

OBAN LITTLE BAY

5800

6000

6000

FAIR BUY  5450@JFK

NA

5760

6900

OLD PULTENEY 12 YO

4200

4250

4300

FAIR BUY

NA

NA

NA

OLD PULTENEY 10 1.0L

5500

5800

5800

FAIR BUY

3950

NA

NA

SCAPA SKIREN

X

4500

4500

4500

HAVEN’T TRIED YET

NA

NA

NA

SINGLETON GLEN'LAN 12

?

3300

3200

3300

GOOD ENTRY LEVEL

NA 

3015 

3500* 

SINGLETON G'ULLAN 15

4500

4500

4500

GOOD BUY

NA

3915 

5575* 

S'TON GLENDULLAN 18

6000

6200

6200

MUST BUY

NA

5825 

9060* 

SMOKEHEAD HEAVY PEAT

3600

4200

4000

MUST BUY - PEAT FANS

2725 

3500 

3690 

SPEYBURN 75 CL 43%

3500

3800

4400

MUST BUY ; 2950 @FKFT

NA

3560

7200

SPEYBURN 1L  43%

X

NA

5250

5200

SKIP

NA

NA

NA

SPRINGBANK 70CL

NA

8000

NA

MUST BUY RARE BRAND

NA

NA

NA

TALISKER 10 45.8%

3600

3800

3600

MUST BUY

NA

5290

5000

TALISKER STORM  45.8%

X

4800

4900

4800

+VFM: YOUR CHOICE

NA

7300

6625

TAMDHU 12

5300

5300

NA

   OPTIONAL; 4600 JFK

 

 

7300

TOWIEMORE

X

NA

5200

NA            

SKIP

NA

NA

NA

BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY

JOHNNIE WALKER RED

   X

800

800

900

AVOID

1205

1395

2525

JW BLACK

   √

1800

1800

2000

MUST BUY

2150

2450

NA

JWBL 12 SPEYSIDE

   √

2000

2000

2100

GOOD BUY

NA

2650

NA

JWBL 12 HIGHLANDS

   √

NA

NA

NA

DUE ANY MOMENT

NA

2650

NA

JWBL 12 LOWLANDS

   √

2000

2000

2100

GOOD BUY

NA

2650

NA

JWBL 12 ISLAY

   √

NA

NA

NA

DUE ANY MOMENT

NA

2650

NA

JW WHITE WALKER

   √

2400

2400

2400

INTERESTING

 

 

 

JW DBL BLACK

   √

2650

2600

2700

MUST BUY

2525

3225

4200

JW GOLD

   √

3800

3600

3800

MUST BUY

3650

3250

5600

JW GREEN

   ?

NA

NA

NA

DUE ANY MOMENT

NA

NA

5350

JW ISLAND GREEN

   ?

NA

NA

NA

GOOD BUY

NA

5090

NA

JW SWING

   √

NA

NA

5750

JUST GRAB

NA

NA

NA

JW 18 YO

   √

 6800

7000

6400

MUST BUY

6000

6290

6900

CHIVAS REGAL 12

   √

1800

1800

2000

MUST BUY

2200

2340

NA 

CHIVAS REGAL 15

   √

3500

3600

3600

GOOD BUY

3850

4065 

NA 

CHIVAS REGAL 18

   √

4800

4900

5200

MUST BUY

NA

6090

NA 

BALLANTINE'S FINEST

   X

1000

NA

1100

YOUR CHOICE

NA 

1400 

NA 

BALLANTINE'S 7 YO

   X

1800

NA

NA

NVFM

NA 

NA

NA 

BALLANTINE'S 12 YO

   X

1900

NA

NA

YOUR CHOICE

NA 

2220  

NA 

BALLANTINES 15 YO

   X

3600

3350

NA

YOUR CHOICE

NA

NA 

NA

BALLANTINES 17 YO

   √

4800

5000

4800

MUST BUY

NA 

NA 

NA 

DEWAR'S 15 YO

   X

3500

3500

3500

FAIR BUY VFM

2700 

3030 

NA 

DEWAR'S 18 YO

   √

4800

5200

5000

MUST BUY

5550 

5800 

5890 

DIMPLE’S 15 YO

   √

4250

4500

4250

MUST BUY

5535

4250

NA

GRANTS TRIPLEWOOD 12

   ?

NA

NA

5200

GOOD BUY @1660 FKFT

NA

3230

4225

HIGHLAND Q'N MAJESTY

   √

NA

NA

2375

MUST BUY 12 YO

1925

NA

NA

ISLAY MIST

   √

2800

2800

2800

INTERESTING

NA

NA

3750

SIX ISLES BLENDED MALT

   √

3500

3600

NA

VERY INTERESTING

NA 

3560

NA 

SOMETHING SPECIAL NAS

   √

1350

1450

1450

MUST BUY

NA

NA

NA

100 PIPERS BLENDED MALT

   √

NA

1300

1300

MUST BUY 8 YO

 NA

NA 

NA 

TEACHER’S H’LAND CREAM

   ?

1300

NA

1400

NO IDEA

1050

1550

1450

TEACHER’S 50

   ?

1400

1400

1400

FAIR BUY

NA

NA

NA

WILLIAM LAWSON’S 12

   ?

1000

NA

NA

NO IDEA

1015 

1245 

NA

WILLIAM LAWSON’S 13

   ?

NA

NA

NA

I LIKED IT, VFM

NA

1630 

NA

* The prices of Kilchoman Machir Bay and Sanaig have dropped to Rs 3,000 and 4,500 as of January 2023. Loch Gorm is not available yet.

* The price of Ardbeg 10 has dropped to Rs 4,800 as of January 2023.

Singapore sells The Singleton of Dufftown