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Whisky miniatures: what they cost per 70cl

Whisky miniatures and 20cl bottles compared with the 70cl price at UK retailers, and what delivery adds to a small order of miniatures or samples.

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A whisky miniature is usually 5cl, and per 70cl of whisky it costs more than the full bottle. When we checked on 14 October 2026, the 5cl miniatures we price worked out at 1.6 to 2 times the 70cl price per 70cl, 20cl bottles at 1.1 to 2.1 times, and 35cl bottles at about 1.1 times. Delivery can cost more than the mini itself.

This guide links to retailers. Some links may earn us a commission; picks are based on the price data and the criteria below.

How we compared

For each small bottle we multiplied the price by 700 and divided by the bottle size in millilitres, giving a price per 70cl of whisky. We then set that against the price of the 70cl bottle of the same whisky at the UK retailers we check, where one is priced. The multiples below were calculated on 14 October 2026; the prices shown are live and may have moved since.

Ardbeg 10 Year Old 5cl (currently unavailable) against the 70cl (£40.52 at Master of Malt) works out at twice the price per 70cl. Balvenie 12 Year Old DoubleWood 5cl (£6.95 at Hard To Find Whisky) against its 70cl (£50.28 at Master of Malt) is about 1.6 times, and Johnnie Walker Red Label 5cl (currently unavailable) against the 70cl (£21.19 at Master of Malt) about 1.7 times. Among 20cl bottles, Talisker 10 Year Old 20cl (£26.00 at The Whisky Shop) against the 70cl (£39.15 at Master of Malt) is 2.1 times, the widest gap we found. The 35cl bottles sit closest to the full-size rate: Glenfiddich 12 Year Old 35cl (currently unavailable) against the 70cl (£36.96 at Master of Malt) is about 1.1 times.

The miniatures and small bottles we price

Coverage is thin, so this page is short. These grids update with the catalogue: miniatures are 5cl or less, and small bottles are anything under 70cl, including 20cl, 35cl and 50cl.

The 50cl bottles in the second grid, such as Nikka from the Barrel, count as small bottles here but carry price bands elsewhere on the site; check the size on each card. The full lists are on the miniature and small bottle format pages, and miniatures and samples covers tasting sets.

Delivery on small orders

Delivery matters more than usual with small bottles. Hard To Find Whisky charges £4.95 for orders of 1 to 4 miniatures, and its free-delivery offer excludes miniatures and half bottles. DrinkSupermarket.com’s £4.95 standard rate covers parcels under 2kg. Both policies were checked on 23 October 2026. A single 5cl bottle with delivery can cost more than the whisky inside it, so minis make most sense added to a larger order.

Gift sets: what you pay for the box

We price one miniature gift set: The Glenlivet Spectra Whisky 3x 20cl Gift Set at £99.95 at Hard To Find Whisky. It holds 60cl of whisky at 40% ABV across three 20cl bottles, which works out at a significant multiple over standard 70cl equivalent prices. At that kind of multiple you are paying for the box and the presentation as much as the whisky, so compare it with 70cl bottles before buying. For full-size gift ideas, see the Christmas whisky gifts guide.

Prices were collected on 14 October 2026 and the delivery policies checked on 23 October 2026. Prices move daily; the live table on each bottle page is current, and the retailer’s checkout price is the one that counts. Read how we compare prices.

Questions

What size is a whisky miniature?
A standard UK miniature contains 5cl (50ml) of spirit, representing two single 25ml pub measures. Distillers and bottlers also produce 20cl and 35cl bottles (often termed half-bottles). In the UK and EU, the standard commercial bottling size for full-size whisky has been 70cl since 1 January 1992, while the United States standard is 750ml.
Why does whisky in miniature bottles cost more per litre?
Bottling, labelling, and capping a 5cl miniature incurs similar packaging, handling, and bottling line overheads to filling a full 70cl container. Duty is charged at the same rate per litre of pure alcohol whatever the bottle size, so it gives small bottles no saving. While 5cl miniatures cost more per litre of liquid, they allow drinkers to sample rare or expensive malts without purchasing an entire bottle.
Do whisky miniatures mature in the bottle?
No. Whisky only matures while interacting with active oak wood inside a cask. Once spirit is filtered and sealed into glass miniatures or bottles, the maturation process stops completely. Miniature bottles sealed with screw caps can experience slight evaporation over many years if the seal degrades, but the liquid inside does not age or improve further.

About the author

Tom Gregan

· Writer

Tom came to whisky by way of cocktails and rum. As the mind behind CocktailDB.com he spent years on citrus balance, bitters and modifiers before John dragged him over to neat spirits.