TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Best liquor/wine selection on Tortola?

We'll be on Tortola for a few days precharter and will have time to shop for liquor and wine. Caribbean Cellars has been less than proficient on our last 3 pre-orders with them.
So...... what's the best place on Tortola to shop - i.e. largest selection of liquor and wine? Specifically looking for Tanqueray 10 gin and Tito's vodka - plus some nice wines.

On another note, any good recommendations for bakeries for fresh baguettes - Tortola or otherwise?
Thanks!

We use both Tico and Caribbean Cellars they both offer free delivery.
Here'a last years 1st day order:
Tico
Segura Viudas Brut 'Reserva' 8 $ 7.99 $ 63.92
Red Stripe bottles (12oz) case of 24 6 $ 27.95 $ 167.70
Baileys Irish Cream - 1.75L 1 $ 37.95 $ 37.95
Tanqueray - 1.0 L 1 $ 17.45 $ 17.45
Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum - 1.0L 1 $ 15.45 $ 15.45
Arundel Cane Rum - White 2 $ 10.99 $ 21.98
Arundel Cane Rum - Gold 2 $ 11.45 $ 22.90


Carribean Cellars
GASCON MALBEC 12/750ML 4 $ 11.03 $ 44.12
WALNUT CREST MERLOT 12/750ML 4 $ 6.89 $ 27.56
ANTINORI SANTA CRISTINA RED 12/750ML 3 $ 9.49 $ 28.47
MUGA RIOJA RESERVA UNFILTERED 12/750ML 3 $ 21.62 $ 64.86
TORRES SANGRE DE TORO RED 12/750ML 7 $ 8.76 $ 61.32
TORRES IBERICOS RIOJA 6/750ML 3 $ 12.70 $ 38.10
CHATEAU STE MICHELLE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 12/750ML 3 $ 15.68 $ 47.04
BROQUEL CABERNET SAUVIGNON 12/750ML 4 $ 9.26 $ 37.04
WENTE SANDSTONE. MERLOT 12/750ML 3 $ 10.64 $ 31.92
EXCELSIOR CABERNET SAUVIGNON 12/750ML 4 $ 10.95 $ 43.80
BANFI COL DI SASSO CAB/SANGIOVESE 12/750ML 4 $ 10.89 $ 43.56
BLUE MOON BELGIAN WHITE ALE BEER 24/12OZ 1 $ 39.20 $ 39.20
CORONA BEER BOTTLES 6PK 24/355ML 1 $ 34.72 $ 34.72
LIQUOR 43 LIQUEUR 12/750ML 2 $ 15.40 $ 30.80
GRAND MARNIER LIQUEUR 12/1LIT 2 $ 26.88 $ 53.76
TANQUERAY GIN 12/750ML 2 $ 16.88 $ 33.76
DISARANNO ORIGINALE LIQUEUR 12/750ML 1 $ 20.87 $ 20.87
MOUNT GAY RUM GOLD 12/750ML 7 $ 12.60 $ 88.20

$ 1,116.45

Sorry about the formatting

Roger, I agree they have a good selection. The problem has been execution. Did they actually deliver all that you ordered?

Mostly.
Of course, it's de ilon's.
I always call the day before, and am usually able to arrange substitutions rather than get a short ship.
With a sleep-aboard, we have lot's of time to fix things.

I'd go to Riteway in Road Town.

We use Tico's, never any problems with them. I had a terrible experience with Caribbean Cellars several years back.

Tico's has the Tangueray 10, but I don't see Tito's on their website.

We usually buy the bulk from Tico's and then fill in with either RiteWay or Bobby's, whoever we are having provision the food.

Service wise IMHO most of the liquor outlets are generally pretty good. It's a monumental logistical challenge to pick dozens (hundreds) of liquor orders on a busy day and deliver them all properly. Errors happen, since its the ilons, but I'd call them randomly distributed, none of the big outlets has a name of being significantly better or worse than the others. I've got lots of my own anecdata, but by and large it seems to be a pretty even split. Helps if you are getting your stuff on a non-weekend day!

If you're choosy - and who isn't - and you've got time, rent a car to shop and see the island. It is way cheaper than taking taxi's, and driving around is fun, and it makes shopping way easier. Stops the problem of getting unwanted substitutions, since you choose your own.

Tico has a nice retail store just up the road from the Riteway, and Riteway has a decent selection too. I know Tico has Tanq 10, but you may have to go to the CC warehouse on Wickhams cay for Tito's.

I saw more of Tortola driving around than I ever did from the water. Some places like Bananakeet are hard to reach without a car, and definitely worth seeing. Same goes for Virgin Gorda, you'll never get to Hog Heaven without transportation and its worth it.

If you have days to fill/kill - doing the Tortola-Tango can be fun

Otherwise - if provisioning with Riteway - why ask for trouble of hoping a second supplier arrives?

Let Riteway handle the whole lot - you won't sail unless they arrive anyways

Tico's is less expensive then Riteway, if you are provisioning for 8 people for 10 days, it can really add up.

Just a couple items to compare:

Tico's - case of Bud light - $22.50, bottle of Absolute - $22.45
Rite way - case of Bud Light - $35.89, bottom of Absolute - $30.50

I think Tico's is the winner here. Esp since they have the Tanqueray 10 (it's for our captain). I'll search out my Tito's on island. No beer drinkers on board this time (all liquor & wine) but it's always good to have all the water delivered too. Thanks for the comparison Colleen - I knew Riteway was more expensive.
We're mostly eating on shore this trip, so we'll do minimal provisioning in person at Riteway before we board.
We weren't going to rent a car - figured we'd just taxi to dinner (Bananakeet & Sugar Mill) and hang out in CGB where we're staying .... but i'm rethinking that now.

IMHO Riteway is terrific on wine prices and terrible on beer. I get wine at " Harbour Market" and then drive a quarter of a mile down to Kelly's and get beer for $10 a case less..

Mal, where is Harbour Market? Nice selection?

Sopers Hole..its a Riteway..same prices as RT ( they claim)

Love the Family Bakery, just outside of the Sunsail entrance. They have bread and prepared meals that they can pre freeze for you. They will deliver but not every day, check with Tyler to validate.

Andyk, thank you! I saw their website online and it does look delicous! Oh, and I found Harbour Market on Mark's map on BVImariner.com. :-)

Does Tico still give discount if you register with them. Last year we got an 18% discount on our order.

Caribbean Cellars

Columbus Sunset Bar in CGB has some pretty decent prices on alcohol.

No one talks about Bobby's anymore. Any issues with Bobby's?

Also looking at these lists of drinking goodies...I see no one mention other essentials...that are non alcohol. I sometimes take a sip of water...also this can used for coffee in the morning, this is very important...then of course a few soft drinks or some tonic, soda water and of course Pineapple and OJ needed for Pain Killers.

I have to ask if anyone splits provisioning because of wildly different pricing on this and that. As one post said, Riteway has crummy pricing on beer etc. Looking at Caribbean Cellers and Tico I noticed same thing...each has some items quite a bit higher than the other one. Also...the variety of brands can be quite different. CC will be missing something I'm looking for...Tico same.

So does anyone end up with deliveries from 3-4 places? Or just Rite Way and CC or Tico?

We ended up with all 3 on our last trip. Originally we ordered from CC and Riteway . CC emailed me that a few things were not in stock so I placed an additional order with Tico's. Had a good experience with all.

We've used Riteway and CC together on trips. But mostly food from Riteway - liquor, water etc. from CC.
As for mixers and juices, other than a few bottles of Ting, we don't use much of the other stuff except for gallons and gallons of water. Juices only come in large cans which is a pain in the fridge with no way to close them up. Clean, straightforward liquor & wine on the boat - painkillers we order from the beach bars :-)
Since we're staying in CGB pre charter we will definitely check out Columbus Sunset.

You can buy juice in small cans, we usually get a case of little tomato juice cans and a case of small orange juice cans.

Good post...very helpful. Starting to dive into this for our trip. Where do you get your mixers (Ting, Club Soda, ginger ale) from? Ticos/CC or Riteway. Also, do you buy in cans by case or do you buy it in bottles? Cannot recall from prior trips...our friends handled that part. Thanks.

In the last six trips I've gotten everything I needed by provisioning through Riteway and Caribbean Cellars, with odds and ends added by a quick trip to the West End Marketplace before shoving off the dock. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Cheers.gif" alt="" />

Brilliant idea Colleen!
If I recall, Club Soda came in small bottles and Ting was bottled as well. We've use Caribbean Cellars for all our liquid provisioning but they've been less than stellar on execution.

Does Tico not carry Carib?

The cost compared is due to Tico being the importer for Bud as Caribbean Cellars is the importer of Carib and RTW import Heineken. This also goes for spirits and different wines so if you have the time go shopping yourself Tico & RTW are right next to each other.