Designed for travelling with wine, the VineGardeValise works just fine for whisky.
Bringing your bottles on trips is increasingly commonplace these days. “If I’m flying, I know duty free doesn’t have much I’ll like,” says Kenny Levine, a New Jersey pawn shop owner with some 500 bottles in his collection. “I’d rather have two bottles I love than something I settled for at the airport.”
Levine seals his closures by dipping them in wax in a slow cooker and bubble-wraps them before putting them in his checked luggage, and other travelers also swear by this method. But protective cases are on the rise.
Harbor Freight offers a large polypropylene protective case ($40), with customizable pick-and-pull foam inserts, that’s sealed and can withstand enormous impacts and changes in pressure. (And it’s $100 cheaper than a similar case from class leader Pelican.)
That’s why it’s Matthew Zelak’s go-to. “There are two separate layers of foam in the lower section,” the Brooklyn, New York whisky lover explains, “and the foam can be adjusted to fit. My tallest bottle of whisky is an E.H. Taylor, at 13.5 inches, and that’ll fit in the large Harbor Freight case along with another full-size bottle.”
If you’re not traveling with full 750 ml bottles, Boston round bottles remain cheap, easy, and safe vessels. A pack of 12 glass bottles is only $11 on Amazon, and those hold 2.03 fluid ounces, feature a plastic conical cap insert to ensure an airtight, leakproof fit. Many come bundled with mini funnels and labels. While plenty of travelers plastic-wrap the Boston rounds, ATS Tactical makes a pouch that holds 10 two-ounce sample bottles ($55). The company explains that the dopp-kit-sized pouch has elastic loops to secure each bottle.
Lastly, Aged and Ore is rapidly converting fans of all these options to its handsome products. Aged & Ore is a Chicago-based company founded by Roberto Meza and Kegan McDaniel. The twosome met fatefully when they became brothers-in-law a decade ago, bonding over bourbon. “We’d get a bottle to try and it became how to get samples to each other without traveling with something super sketchy,” says McDaniel. “Aged and Ore was born from our own needs.”
“Function above all else is our leading principle,” says McDaniel. “We needed four three-ounce bottles with wide mouths, so you don’t need a funnel. We wanted a labeling window so you can write on the bottles directly, with our included glass marker, and the measurement indicators are helpful.”
A sleek, protective silicone sleeve rounds out the design, and a bottle fits perfectly into its Neat glass, its own protective case.
While Aged & Ore also offers a stainless steel travel decanter that screws apart to transform into two tumblers that house a glass decanter capable of holding 500 milliliters, they’re hard at work on “larger solutions for full-size and bigger bottles,” says McDaniel.
Your Pre-Travel Checklist
Ready to jet? Here are some other tips, tricks, hacks, and gear that have been road-tested for optimal protection.
Wax Like a Pro
Levine recommends buying sealing wax from a professional manufacturer, like blendedwaxes.com. Its products are colorful, strong yet flexible (they won’t chip or flake upon opening), and relatively inexpensive, starting at under $13 a pound. After you heat it up and dip your bottle, it takes only 10 minutes to completely set, according to Levine. While you could add a pull tab ahead of waxing for the cleanest open, a knife works just fine. And if you need to rewax, Levine says applying a lighter flame to the wax can usually seal everything back up before you head home.
Tape Up the Tops
If you’re dealing with a screwtop bottle that’s been opened, consider using plumbers-grade Teflon sealing tape before you screw down the cap. You’ll get the tightest fit imaginable, mitigating any potential spills from under the cap. Add an extra layer of protection by taping around the bottom of the cap and the neck of the bottle.
Inflate a Bottle Bag
If you’re moving whole bottles, whether they’re unopened or resealed, a little safety insurance comes in the form of handy blow-up bags, expressly made for protecting bottles. A kit—comprising 20 bags and a hand pump—goes for a mere $14 on wineshippingboxes.com, and it’s the ultimate buffer. While these will largely contain a potential spill, if you’re especially concerned, place the inflatable bag inside a heavy-duty plastic zippered bag to doubly protect your luggage.
Pack a Bottle Suitcase
Traveling with 12 bottles? Splurge a bit and opt for the VinGarde- Valise travel suitcase. The smart design looks identical to any normal luggage, but the inside features high-density foam with 12 spaces for 750 ml bottles. $380
