Korean Job Discussion Forums

[DoubleRS]

Is there any place I can order online? It's okay if the website is in Korean.

Any shops in or around Seoul that have a great selection?

Any other lovers of Single Malt out there?

[nick70100]

I don't know anything about Scotch, but it's illegal to sell alcohol online in Korea, so don't expect to find a website.

[yeti08]

There are little liquor/wine stores everywhere in Seoul and other big cities. Kind of a crapshoot at what you'll find at them, but I have seen some single malts. Scotch is Korea's favorite whiskey, so you're in luck.
Shinsagae Dept Store also usually has liquor near their tea and ginseng stands. Be aware that you may get sticker shock for the good stuff. Liquor is much more expensive here.

Good luck.

[Zyzyfer]

Also...

- duty free when you fly
- Costco
- black/grey markets

If you combine these and previously mentioned options, you'll have a decent selection on a good day.

[tefain]

Department stores like Lotte and Shinsegae usually have a decent selection, though as yeti stated, the prices are high.
Although if you're into single malt, you can't be too afraid to spend.

[yeti08]

My girlfriends dad has a bottle of single malt Glenfiddich 12 year I was drinking with him. Not the greatest single malt, but I am a bourbon guy. I'll ask him where he got it.

[eamo]

[yeti08]

I got them to order me Basil Hayden's when I asked at one of those little liquor stores. And they only charged me 50,000.

[DoubleRS]

I found a liqueur store where I live where I have a selection of a Macallan 12 year and Glenfiddich 12,15 and 18year only. I bought them a few times now for decent prices. However, yes...they do tax the hell out of them compared to back home.

Recently, I got a very surprising deal when the liqueur store owner charged me 125,000 for a Glenfiddich 18year ANCIENT RESERVE. It would retail for what would be equivalent to 200,000 back home. He didn't know the difference between the regular bottle and the ancient reserve.

I usually ask friends who fly often to pick me up a bottle at duty free.


Where are these black and gray markets you speak of? I don't live in Seoul.

Thanks for the quick responses though! I appreciate it. Cheers.

[Zyzyfer]

[murmanjake]

I got a bottle of Glenfidditch 15 year for teacher's day. It beat the heck out of all those flower pens I got as well.

[Jake_Kim]

Unless you pick up a bottle from a duty-free, brace yourself for its high price.

Take one bottle of Whiskey, $100 pre-tax for example. There are four kinds of taxes levied upon it, totaling up to 132%. The price you get is now $232, and that is before adding normal operating margin of retailers.

Given all that, a whiskey shop specializing in Single Malts recently opened in Gangnam, across from Ramada Seoul Hotel. Appropriately named 'The Malt Shop.' (http://www.maltshop.co.kr)

[red_devil]

I'm partial to the 18yo's myself.

Singleton 18yo
Glenfidditch 18yo
Macallen 18yo

Average price for these is around the 275K won range. There's liquor shops all over, there's one that's near the Gangnam Finance Center, and of course at larger Emarts and department stores. Some wine shops also carry it.

[Sinnerman]

I used to get my scotch from the underground markets at Namdaemun market. I found the prices to be reasonable as was the selection.

[movybuf]

Luckily for you lovers of Scotch, the Korea-EU FTA should go into effect in July. Thus eliminating the hefty duty tax paid on these imported liquors.