| Size | US drinks | UK units | Irish | Australian | Canadian |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 200 ml bottle“half pint” | 4.5 | 8.0 | 6.4 | 6.4 | 4.7 |
| 35 cl bottle (350 ml) | 7.9 | 14.0 | 11.2 | 11.2 | 8.2 |
| 375 ml bottle“pint or half bottle” | 8.5 | 15.0 | 12.0 | 12.0 | 8.8 |
| 70 cl bottle (700 ml) | 15.8 | 28.0 | 22.4 | 22.4 | 16.4 |
| 750 ml bottle“fifth” | 16.9 | 30.0 | 24.0 | 24.0 | 17.6 |
| 1 litre bottle | 22.5 | 40.0 | 32.0 | 32.0 | 23.5 |
US drinks: US standard drinks (0.6 fl oz of pure alcohol). UK units: 10 ml of pure alcohol. Irish: standard drinks of 10 g. Australian: standard drinks of 10 g. Canadian: standard drinks of 341 ml of 5% beer.
Shots of whiskey in each bottle
How many measures each bottle pours, at any strength. A US shot is 1.5 fl oz (NIAAA), a UK single is 25 ml (NHS) and an Irish single measure is 35.5 ml (HSE).
| Size | 1.5 fl oz US shots | 25 ml UK singles | 35.5 ml Irish measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| 200 ml bottle“half pint” | 4.5 | 8.0 | 5.6 |
| 35 cl bottle (350 ml) | 7.9 | 14.0 | 9.9 |
| 375 ml bottle“pint or half bottle” | 8.5 | 15.0 | 10.6 |
| 70 cl bottle (700 ml) | 15.8 | 28.0 | 19.7 |
| 750 ml bottle“fifth” | 16.9 | 30.0 | 21.1 |
| 1 litre bottle | 22.5 | 40.0 | 28.2 |
70 cl bottle (700 ml) of whiskey at other strengths
Find the % vol or ABV on your label. The numbers are our arithmetic, not typical strengths.
| Strength | US drinks | UK units | Irish | Australian | Canadian |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40% | 15.8 | 28.0 | 22.4 | 22.4 | 16.4 |
| 43% | 17.0 | 30.1 | 24.1 | 24.1 | 17.7 |
| 46% | 18.1 | 32.2 | 25.8 | 25.8 | 18.9 |
| 50% | 19.7 | 35.0 | 28.0 | 28.0 | 20.5 |
| 57% | 22.5 | 39.9 | 31.9 | 31.9 | 23.4 |
Whisky singles and whiskey shots per bottle
The NHS spells it whisky and NIAAA spells it whiskey; both use 40% in their examples. In the UK a single is 25 ml, 1 unit at 40%, and the NHS notes that a large 35 ml single is 1.4 units. In the US a shot is 1.5 fl oz, one standard drink.
A 70 cl bottle at 40% pours 28.0 UK singles of 25 ml or 15.8 US shots of 1.5 fl oz. A 35 cl bottle pours half of that: 14.0 singles.
Stronger whiskies hold more units per bottle
Whiskey strength is on the label as ABV or % vol, and every extra percentage point adds the same amount of alcohol to the bottle: 7 ml of pure alcohol per point in a 70 cl bottle, which is 0.7 UK units.
At 46%, a 70 cl bottle holds 32.2 UK units and 18.1 US standard drinks, compared with 28.0 and 15.8 at 40%. The strength table shows the same bottle at other strengths.
How a bottle of whiskey compares with Canada's guidance
Canada's Guidance on Alcohol and Health (2023) says 1 to 2 standard drinks a week is low risk, 3 to 6 is moderate risk and 7 or more is increasingly high risk, and advises not exceeding 2 drinks on any day if you drink. A Canadian standard drink is 43 ml of 40% spirits, so a 750 ml bottle at 40% holds 17.6 of them.
Work it out for your whiskey
The calculator opens on the 70 cl bottle (700 ml) at 40%. Change the size or strength to match yours.
A typical strength is filled in. Check your label.
That is
15.8 US standard drinks
= 28.0 UK units
= 22.4 Irish standard drinks
= 22.4 Australian standard drinks
= 16.4 Canadian standard drinks
Each one is 15.8 × one US standard drink:
Common questions
How many shots are in a 70cl bottle of whisky?
At 40%, a 70 cl bottle holds 28.0 UK singles of 25 ml, 19.7 Irish single measures of 35.5 ml or 15.8 US shots of 1.5 fl oz. Each UK single is 1 unit, so the bottle is 28.0 units.
How many standard drinks are in a fifth of whiskey?
Rethinking Drinking counts a 750 ml "fifth" of 80-proof (40%) spirits as about 17 US standard drinks. Our arithmetic gives 16.9, or 30.0 UK units for the same bottle.
How many units are in a half bottle of whiskey?
A 35 cl bottle of 40% whisky holds 14.0 UK units and a 375 ml bottle holds 15.0. Rethinking Drinking calls the 375 ml size a "pint" or "half bottle" and counts it as about 8½ US standard drinks.
How many units are in a glass of whiskey?
It depends on how much is poured, not on the glass. Each 25 ml at 40% is 1 UK unit, so a 50 ml pour is 2.0 units and a 70 ml pour is 2.8. The calculator below works it out from any amount in ml or fl oz.
When to get help
This site offers self-help tools and information, not medical advice. Talk to a doctor, or call one of the lines below, if:
- you feel shaky, sweaty, sick or anxious when you haven't had a drink;
- you find it hard to stop once you start, or you want to cut down and can't;
- drinking is causing problems with your health, work or the people close to you.
Before you stop: It can be very dangerous to stop drinking suddenly if you are dependent on alcohol. If you get withdrawal symptoms, get medical help before you try to stop drinking.
Free, confidential helplines
- United States:SAMHSA National Helpline1-800-662-HELP (4357)Treatment referral and information, 24/7.
- United States:988 Suicide & Crisis LifelineCall or text 988Free and confidential support for people in distress, 24/7.
- United Kingdom:Drinkline0300 123 1110The national alcohol helpline, free and in complete confidence. Weekdays 9am to 8pm, weekends 11am to 4pm.
In an emergency, call your local emergency number.
Sources
- What Is A Standard Drink?. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). niaaa.nih.gov
- How Many Drinks are in Common Containers?. NIAAA Rethinking Drinking. rethinkingdrinking.niaaa.nih.gov
- Alcohol units. NHS. nhs.uk
- Weekly low-risk alcohol guidelines. Health Service Executive (Ireland). hse.ie
- Canada's Guidance on Alcohol and Health. Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction. ccsa.ca
- Australian Guidelines to Reduce Health Risks from Drinking Alcohol. National Health and Medical Research Council. nhmrc.gov.au
Page last reviewed 2026-10-04.
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