Change in bottle size

[Aidan]

Does anyone know when bottles went from the standard 750 ml size to the 700 ml size in Europe. Was it in the 1980s?

[Iain]

I think EC insisted on introduction of standard 70 cls from beginning of 1992.

[Aidan]

Thanks Iain. And do you know when they stopped using proof and switched to abv?

[bernstein]

The UK replaced the old "Sikes-system" by the system recommended by the International Organisation of Legal Metrology on Jan 1st 1980 - at least officially.

[Crispy Critter]

Of course, vestiges of the Sikes system are still around, for instance, Glenfarclas 105. Laphroaig Cask Strength bottlings are roughly 100 proof in the Sikes system, and Old Grand-Dad 114 would also fit in as 100 proof in the old system.

[bond]

I think EC insisted on introduction of standard 70 cls from beginning of 1992.

Are all the 1 litre scotch bottles therefore, entirely for export and duty-free shops in europe?

[Iain]

I believe spirits can be bottled in 50cls, 70 cls, 1 litre etc for sale in the EC, including UK. But most whisky companies use the 70 cls as their "standard" bottle size.

(except the Easy Drinking chaps? They seem to prefer the 50 cls bottle as their standard?).

[Lawrence]

We occasionally see a 1 litre bottling of something in our market, the last one that is still on the shelves is Cardhu 12 OB. For a whisky that's not going to be available in the future except in certain markets there certainly is a lot of it lurking around.

[Crispy Critter]

I suspect the 750 ml size prevalent in North America is a result of it being very close (just 7 ml shy) of a traditional fifth (4/5 US quart or 1/5 US gallon).

Was the EC decision to go to 700 ml something that the distillers lobbied for, or was it a decision made by bureaucrats?

[Iain]

It was the Eurocrats wot dunnit.

75 cls is closer than 70 to the old trad UK standard spirits bottle size, 26.75 fl ozs.