Schiphol Airport Retail opens revamped Exquisite fine wines, spirits and cigars store

[El Presidente]

 

I an nit sure ho extensive the cigar collection is....but if you are passing through let us know. 

I have always loved Schipol Airport. 

 

THE NETHERLANDS. A new look for the Exquisite store in Amsterdam Schiphol Airport was today formally unveiled by Schiphol Airport Retail following major renovations. [The Moodie Davitt Report Senior Editor Jason Holland is on location there today; look out for his special report in coming days.]

Schiphol Airport Retail, a joint venture between Gebr. Heinemann and the Royal Schiphol Group, has upgraded the 136sq m retail area of the fine wine, spirits and cigars store with new furniture, signage and lighting and a more open configuration of the façade.

A lighter urban design is intended to appeal to younger consumers.

The new, more open façade of the revamped Exquisite store which was unveiled at Schiphol Airport today.

Schiphol Airport Retail Managing Director Simon Asmus said: “Especially the wine and spirits category is attracting more and more young customers, who are willing to invest in high-quality products.

“Many of them are simply lovers of fine drinks and look for the unparalleled taste of a rare Cognac, a fine Champagne or a vintage whisky.

“But particularly at the high end, a growing number of young collectors is entering the market, chasing rarities and the latest limited editions that they can’t find anywhere else.”

The redesign was accompanied by a renaming of the shop; the original name Exquisite is now supplemented by ‘Finest Wine, Spirits & Cigars’.

The aroma table, with its decorated glass jars, guides customers through different flavour profiles.

Among other new features, the Exquisite store now offers an aroma table, made of marble and brass and featuring five trumpet-like devices that, with the squeeze of a rubber bulb, release the aroma of a core taste of the wine or spirit it promotes.

Gebr. Heinemann Purchasing Director Liquor Tobacco Confectionery Rüdiger Stelkens said: “The aroma table sets a new benchmark in travel retail when it comes to enticing the shopper in new and exciting ways. It also builds a perfect bridge from marketing to tasting – and tasting builds the bridge to buying.

“But even those travellers who don’t turn into buyers will still memorise the experience at the Exquisite shop and be left with a new, more sensual impression of the promoted brands.’

[Pommy Puffer]

Hi Rob,

 

I flew home from there last week with a nice haul from the Amsterdam shops, as you know the UK tobacco tax can give you cancer!

I didn't go to the Exquisite store, but a big tobacco/spirits duty free store.  They had about half a dozen different boxes of Cubans, and the same amount of Dutch cigars.

Unfortunately for me, they are only sold for non EU flight passengers, so I didn't take much notice on prices plus the stock they had didn't excite me.

So all I remember was seeing Party Aristocrats, and RyJ Mille Fleurs.

 

Love this site, Cheers Boss.

[FireMedic]

I'll be there in July 

[Booyaa]

41 minutes ago, Pommy Puffer said:

Hi Rob,

 

I flew home from there last week with a nice haul from the Amsterdam shops, as you know the UK tobacco tax can give you cancer!

I didn't go to the Exquisite store, but a big tobacco/spirits duty free store.  They had about half a dozen different boxes of Cubans, and the same amount of Dutch cigars.

Unfortunately for me, they are only sold for non EU flight passengers, so I didn't take much notice on prices plus the stock they had didn't excite me.

So all I remember was seeing Party Aristocrats, and RyJ Mille Fleurs.

 

Love this site, Cheers Boss.

Did you just do the Amsterdam stores or did you travel to Almere as well? Some special treats in there.

[Pommy Puffer]

1 hour ago, Booyaa said:

Did you just do the Amsterdam stores or did you travel to Almere as well? Some special treats in there.

Yeah, just the 'dam, but now very interested in Almere.  I know it's bad form to mention places, so I will use google to have a look.

 

[RDB]

I’ll be there at the weekend and try to take a look. I bought some absolutely stinking Siglo IIIs at the old store last year.

[Derboesekoenig]

Last time I was there was around last spring or summer *i think* and I remember I was recommended a bottle of Glen.Signet. Don't recall if they had cigars or not, and it looked pretty basic/unappealing. Didn't realize they were doing an update. I'd recommend not to overlook the duty-free cigars there as well. I usually had luck whenever passing through Schiphol

[Ryan]

I passed through in January. I visited that "Exquisite" shop.

I wasn't looking for whiskey or wine so I can't comment. I was on my way to Kuwait so I couldn't buy any anyway. There is a big whisky/cognac selection though.

There is a smallish (maybe 6 X 10 feet) walk-in humidor at the back, up some steps.

Good selection of Cohibas, they had Robustos. Most of the 1492 line except Siglo VI. Prices not brilliant but OK, I can't remember specifics. I didn't see any Dutch regionals and that's what I was looking for.

There was still construction going on but they have fixed up the business lounges, there's a nice "Sky-Bar" there now, with a view of the taxi-ing areas.

That aroma table is becoming a thing. They have one for whisky in the basement of Harrods.

[Derboesekoenig]

1 hour ago, Ryan said:

I passed through in January. I visited that "Exquisite" shop.

I wasn't looking for whiskey or wine so I can't comment. I was on my way to Kuwait so I couldn't buy any anyway. There is a big whisky/cognac selection though.

There is a smallish (maybe 6 X 10 feet) walk-in humidor at the back, up some steps.

Good selection of Cohibas, they had Robustos. Most of the 1492 line except Siglo VI. Prices not brilliant but OK, I can't remember specifics. I didn't see any Dutch regionals and that's what I was looking for.

There was still construction going on but they have fixed up the business lounges, there's a nice "Sky-Bar" there now, with a view of the taxi-ing areas.

That aroma table is becoming a thing. They have one for whisky in the basement of Harrods.

I must've been distracted by the whisky as I don't recall a humidor at all lol

Sorry you had to go to Kuwait. I lived there for a year. Not a fan. Although it is where I had my first Cuban cigar, and they have some really nice, albeit expensive, cigar lounges. Their airport is horrendous. I have had some pretty interesting, and not in a good way, experiences there.

[Ryan]

14 minutes ago, Derboesekoenig said:

I must've been distracted by the whisky as I don't recall a humidor at all lol

Sorry you had to go to Kuwait. I lived there for a year. Not a fan. Although it is where I had my first Cuban cigar, and they have some really nice, albeit expensive, cigar lounges. Their airport is horrendous. I have had some pretty interesting, and not in a good way, experiences there.

It's right at the back, not very obvious.

Kuwait was fine, just a long weekend, a nice time actually, very nice people. I didn't actually miss the booze. It was the option of having it I missed.

There is a great new cigar lounge there. La Hoja cigar lounge. The owner Hussain is a very nice guy.

[Derboesekoenig]

4 minutes ago, Ryan said:

It's right at the back, not very obvious.

Kuwait was fine, just a long weekend, a nice time actually, very nice people. I didn't actually miss the booze. It was the option of having it I missed.

There is a great new cigar lounge there. La Hoja cigar lounge. The owner Hussain is a very nice guy.

I had my first Cuban cigar in July of 2016, on Camp Arifjan where I worked at the time. And then I started frequenting La Hoja that July as well, great place. I think it had just opened within a month or two of me going there for the first time.

Small world.

[Str8BlkCoffee]

I used to pass through a lot back in 00-04 and had some real long layovers 6+ hours so I got to know the airport well. I purchased a few boxes and the prices weren't terrible, but limited selection. I rolled through Shiphol in Dec and I picked up a box of 10 RJ Wide Churchill for $145. I think. I only had about an hour between flights so I just sat at the Heineken Bar and knocked back a few then hustled to make my flight.

When my wife and son flew through I told her to buy some good booze and a box of Cubans for me but she was stressed and with a short layover she didn't bother.

I will have to look to the Exquisite shop next time through.

[shippers]

Had a cigar this week I picked up from the duty-free store last year (RyJ No2 Tubo) was quite good. But agree with above the selection was limited (particularly if you were flying within the EU) and the staff didn't know too much about what they were selling but the prices were quite good.

[Haaltert]

I was there 2 weeks ago. I can also confirm the stock was limited, nothing regional available. Pricing is same as my country, so I didn't bother buying boxes


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[RDB]

So I’ve just been through the Exquisite shop. I was in a bit of a rush, but picked up a nice looking box of Upmann Half Coronas and a ten box of Monte Petit Edmundos. Both with a few years on them. Prices ok for these.

The main thing I would say is you absolutely have to open the boxes and choose carefully. The Montes I saw were mostly not nice looking: only the one box I took (out of ten I opened), and it had a different factory code to the others. 

I didn’t see anything at all unusual or small production. Still, a better range than most standard airport duty frees. And friendly folk working there.

 

 

 

[cookj1]

I was there five days ago. The prices were so sh*t that I jumped into a cab (not even an Uber), went to Festen & Hartman, back to the airport, and still saved money.

The booze is only reasonable if it’s on sale, otherwise you really have to justify and want that rare bottle of whiskey for it to make sense.  There’s the usual deals on swill like Fiddich and Livet, but who does duty free on stuff like that?

[cookj1]

1 minute ago, cookj1 said:

I was there five days ago. The prices were so sh*t that I jumped into a cab (not even an Uber), went to Festen & Hartman, back to the airport, and still saved money.

The booze is only reasonable if it’s on sale, otherwise you really have to justify and want that rare bottle of whiskey for it to make sense.  There’s the usual deals on swill like Fiddich and Livet, but who does duty free on stuff like that?

Oh...and the selection was sh*t too.  ?