Words by Simon Difford
The global standard bottle size for wines, spirits and liqueurs emerged as 75cl (750ml). In North America and much of the world it still is. However, in 1990 the European Union (EU) introduced a ridiculous piece of legislation which complicated this by dictating that spirit and liqueur bottles have to be 70cl while wine and soft drink bottles remain 75cl. Follows our guide to standard bottle sizes
Overly complicated and restrictive legislation forces EU spirits producers to produce 70cl bottles for the EU market and 75cl bottles for export to North America so making it expensive for boutique distillers to export. Obviously the same is true for North American distillers wanting to make their products available in the E.U.
In November 2002 a European Commission working paper concluded that the EU is over-regulated regarding pack sizes so limiting consumer choice.
The USA mandatory spirits bottle sizes are (since 1 January 1980):
50 ml
100 ml
200 ml
375 ml
500 ml (authorized for bottling until June 30, 1989)
750 ml
1,000 ml
1,750 ml
The European Union mandatory spirits bottle sizes are (since 1 January 1990):
100 ml
200 ml
350 ml
500 ml
700 ml
1,000 ml
1,500 ml
1,750 ml
2,000 ml
Small miniature EU = 20ml
Standard miniature = 50ml
Eighth = 100ml
Quarter (AKA: piccolo pony, snipe or split) = 200ml
Half bottle EU = 350ml
Half bottle USA = 375ml
Half litre (AKA: Jennie) EU = 500ml
Standard bottle EU = 700ml
Standard bottle USA = 750ml
Quart USA = 946.35ml
Litre bottle = 1,000ml
Magnum = 1,500ml (equivalent to 2 x 75cl)
Half gallon USA (descriptive rather than accurate) = 1,750ml
Jeroboam = 3,000ml (equivalent to 4 x 75cl)
Eighth = 100ml
Quarter (AKA: piccolo pony, snipe or split) = 18.75 cl
Half bottle EU = 375ml
Half litre wine = 500ml
Standard bottle = 750ml
Quart USA = 946.35ml
Litre bottle = 1,000ml
Magnum = 1,500ml (equivalent to 2 x 75cl)
Half gallon USA (descriptive rather than accurate) = 1.75L
Marie Jeanne or Tregnum or Tappit Hen = 2,250 (equivalent to 3 x 75cl)
Jeroboam = 3,000ml (equivalent to 4 x 75cl)
Four litre USA = 4,000ml
Rehoboam EU = 4,500ml (equivalent to 6 x 75cl)
Five litre USA = 5,000ml
Methuselah 0r Imperial = 6,000ml (equivalent to 8 x 75cl)
Seven litre USA = 7,000ml
Eight litre USA = 8,000ml
Salmanazar or Mordechai = 9,000ml (equivalent to 12 x 75cl)
Ten litre USA = 10,000ml
Balthazar = 12,000ml (equivalent to 16 x 75cl)
Nebuchadnezzar = 15,000ml (equivalent to 20 x 75cl)
Solomon or Salomon or Melchior = 18,000 (equivalent 24 x 75cl)
Primat (pronounced 'Pree-mah') or Goliath = 27,000 (equivalent 36 x 75cl)
Melchizedek or Midas = 30,000 (equivalent to 40 x 75cl)
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