How Many Shots in a Bottle?
Quick Answer
A 70cl bottle holds 28 single 25ml shots, 20 shots at 35ml, or 14 double 50ml shots
70cl = 700ml, so 700 ÷ 25 = 28 exactly. The maths for every UK measure and bottle size is below.
Shots Per Bottle: Full UK Table
| Measure | 70cl (700ml) | 1 litre (1,000ml) | 1.5 litre (1,500ml) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25ml single | 28 | 40 | 60 |
| 35ml single (common in Scotland) | 20 | 28 (20ml left over) | 42 (30ml left over) |
| 50ml double | 14 | 20 | 30 |
| 70ml double (2 × 35ml) | 10 | 14 (20ml left over) | 21 (30ml left over) |
The maths is simple: bottle size in ml ÷ measure size, rounded down. For example, 700 ÷ 25 = 28 and 1,000 ÷ 35 = 28.57, which gives 28 full measures with 20ml left in the bottle. A 35cl half bottle gives 14 shots at 25ml, 10 at 35ml, or 7 doubles at 50ml. These figures assume no spillage: for a busy home bar, round your bottle count up.
Why 25ml and 35ml? The UK Legal Measures
The two UK single-shot sizes come from weights and measures law. Under the Weights and Measures (Intoxicating Liquor) Order 1988, gin, rum, vodka and whisky served by the measure on licensed premises must be sold in 25ml or 35ml, or a multiple of one of those quantities, and the premises must display which measure they use. The metric quantities replaced the old gill measures from the end of 1994.
On top of that, the mandatory licensing conditions under the Licensing Act 2003 require that where gin, rum, vodka or whisky is sold for drinking on the premises, the 25ml or 35ml measure must actually be available to customers, alongside half pints of beer or cider and 125ml glasses of still wine.
- Single: 25ml (most of England and Wales) or 35ml (common in Scotland)
- Double: 50ml or 70ml, a straight doubling of the single
- At home: no law applies, but pouring with a 25ml/50ml jigger keeps counting easy
Shots and Alcohol Units
One UK unit is 10ml of pure alcohol, and units = ABV × volume in ml ÷ 1,000. So a 25ml shot of a 40% spirit is exactly 1 unit (25 × 40 ÷ 1,000), which means a 70cl bottle of 40% vodka, gin or whisky contains 28 units, one per 25ml shot. A 35ml single of the same spirit is 1.4 units.
Planning Drinks for a Party
Knowing shots per bottle is half the job; the other half is how many measures your guests will get through. Our spirits calculator uses the standard party rule of 2 drinks in the first hour then 1 per hour after, and adds mixers at about 150ml per spirit drink. For all drink types side by side, see the drinks per person guide, which covers wine, beer, spirits and soft drinks for 2 to 8 hour events.