When did the UK go from 26 2/3rd flozs to 75cl bottles?

by **adogranonthepitch** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 7:49 am

... also, when did it change again to 700ml. I am sure it must be something due to EU regulations. It is just this infomation can help age a bottle.

Also, when the UK stop using the proof and change to alc/vol. Again, a useful tool to age a bottle.

Can anyone help?

by **Deactivated Member** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 8:53 am

Hi,
maybe I can help towards an answer by looking at The Macallan:

As you know, they have produced an annual dated bottlings that I know of from the 50's to 1986. Plus some in the late 1940's.
The 1960's distillations up to 1967 were all 17 years old when bottled, after this they changed to 18 years old.

Up to and including the 1963, they were labelled 80°, from 1964 onwards they were 43%.
As these are 17 year old, I would say the change was 1980 when it was bottled.

As for cl - Fl Oz:
I had to look at TWE for a little help with the 1950's which I don't have:
The 1950 bottle is labelled Fl Oz.
The 1958 up to and including the 1962 show Fl. Oz. & cl.
From 1963 (Bottled 1980) they show only cl.

Does this help?
WH

by **kallaskander** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 9:19 am

Hi there,

it must be hidden somwhere here

http://europa.eu.int/scadplus/leg/en/lvb/l21093.htm

http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/lex/LexUri ... 76:EN:HTML

Greetings
kallaskander

by **Deactivated Member** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 9:27 am

Kalla,
those links seem to talk about EU regulations implemented in 1989. It was long before that as my examples show.

I would still say 1980- ish.

WH

by **Ize** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 12:13 pm

Slowly, gradually, centimeter by centimeter we will export metrics to UK, thihihii :twisted:

better start with whisky that'll do it. :lol:

by **Deactivated Member** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 12:27 pm

I bet you a 10 bob note against three pecks of corn, a pole of yarn and two gallons of 4* that it doesn't happen.

Now, where's my 10 bob note?
Can't seem to find one anywhere any more.
As for the pecks and poles ........ Mmmmmmm long gone.

But surely we still have gallons of good old 4* ???

NO!

Bliimin' metrics!
:roll:

by **Jan** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 7:01 pm

I new I had read this somewhere:

MacLeans Miscellany provided the answer:

Bottles sizes were defined by law around 1900 with 26 2/3 fluid ounces as the standard bottle size.

From january 1980 capacity were expressed on the bottles in metric units and 26 2/3 ounces equalling 0,75l.

In 1992 bottle sizes were standardized throughout the EU at 0,70l.

Cheers
Jan

by **adogranonthepitch** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 8:07 pm

thanks guys, greatly appreciated

by **MGillespie** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 8:42 pm

Jan wrote:I new I had read this somewhere: MacLeans Miscellany provided the answer:

Bottles sizes were defined by law around 1900 with 26 2/3 fluid ounces as the standard bottle size.

From january 1980 capacity were expressed on the bottles in metric units and 26 2/3 ounces equalling 0,75l.

In 1992 bottle sizes were standardized throughout the EU at 0,70l.

Cheers
Jan

Which, of course, makes little common sense...since the 0.75l bottles worked just fine in all worldwide markets. Of course, it makes even less sense for the US bureaucrats to mandate that all imported spirits come in either 50ml, 200ml, 375ml, or 750ml bottles (or the larger multiples). This just raises the cost for whisky producers and consumers...

Mark

by **Jan** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 8:32 am

Yeah, agree with you, Mark.

But bureaucracies, be it the EU or the US variety, does not care very much about common sense I guess.

Personally I don't care if the standard is ,70 or ,75 liters, but it would make sense to use the same standard worldwide.

(I would like to see more 20, 37.5 and 50cl bottles on the market, though - would make it easier to try more malts and to finish the bottles in time...)

Cheers
Jan