A question for the Canadians

[VT Mike]

Looking at the selection of single malts available in Quebec, I see that they have about an equal mix of 700ml and 750ml bottles. Is this the case in the other provinces as well? Or do some provinces get only 750ml bottles or only 700ml bottles?

[Zeke]

Howdy!

The LCBO, NB Liquor and BC Liquor all get both 700ml and 750 ml bottles.

[portwood]

Generally speaking, if a whisky is available to the US market, there is a high probability Canadians get 750ml bottles. If a whisky is NOT available in the US, we get the 700ml (the European size).

[Harry in WashDC]

Thanks, Portwood. That's a nice-to-know fact - if only because it explains why 700 & 750s.

.

[VT Mike]

Generally speaking, if a whisky is available to the US market, there is a high probability Canadians get 750ml bottles. If a whisky is NOT available in the US, we get the 700ml (the European size).

Thanks Portwood, that's sort of what prompted the question. I was recently in Montreal drinking Glen Elgin 12 year. It was in a 750ml bottle but I've been told by someone at Diageo that the official bottling of Glen Elgin is primarily distributed in Europe and has never been exported to the US. As far as I know South Africa is the only other country besides the US that requires 750ml bottles.

[tanstaafl2]

Thanks Portwood, that's sort of what prompted the question. I was recently in Montreal drinking Glen Elgin 12 year. It was in a 750ml bottle but I've been told by someone at Diageo that the official bottling of Glen Elgin is primarily distributed in Europe and has never been exported to the US. As far as I know South Africa is the only other country besides the US that requires 750ml bottles.

Interesting. Did not know South Africa had the same annoying requirement. It keeps a lot of limited whisky bottlings from coming to the US. The distilleries generally just aren't going to be bothered with two sizes for small runs of whisky.

[VT Mike]

Interesting. Did not know South Africa had the same annoying requirement. It keeps a lot of limited whisky bottlings from coming to the US. The distilleries generally just aren't going to be bothered with two sizes for small runs of whisky.

That was what I was told by someone working in the bottling hall at Springbank when I went to their whisky school, just the US and SA require 750's. The Glen Elgin bottle I saw was marked as 75cl rather than 750ml, also something you don't see in the US.

I get your point about certain bottlings not being available here because of the 750ml requirement, but on the other hand that is probably why some bottlings (18 year Oban comes to mind) are US exclusives.