New bottles sizes coming to the U.S.

The U.S. will finally allow 700ml bottles to be imported legally into the country paving the way for the European Union standard size to be sold in the U.S. for the first time.

The Treasury Department’s Tax and Trade Bureau, which regulates alcoholic beverages at the federal level, published new regulations in the Federal Register allowing the new bottle sizes. 700ml has been the standard in the European Union for more than three decades, with the 750ml size the standard in the U.S. since 1980.

The new sizes will likely lead to many whiskies being sold in the U.S. for the first time. For years the regulations forced whisky makers to create 700ml bottlings for Europe and special 750ml bottlings to sell in the U.S. Because of this added cost many smaller distillers chose not to export their products to the U.S.