F – like bottle shape
What is so special about the St Kilian bottle?
Our bottle is almost 100% exactly the same shape as our two copper pot stills, which we sourced from the coppersmith Forsyths in Scotland. It is, so to speak, a replica of our 6,000 litre copper stills, of course only up to the top of the swan neck.
How did this special bottle shape come about?
Right from the start, we at St. Kilian wanted our whiskies to set new trends not only in terms of flavour, but also visually. And we succeeded impressively in both cases.
Who came up with the idea for the pot still bottle?
Ultimately, it was our Master Distiller & Blender Mario Rudolf who came up with the idea for this very special bottle shape and was able to prevail over other internal suggestions.
Where were the bottles made?
The first prototype came from Italy. The idea was that the Italians, with their excellent taste in fashion and design, would be the ideal partners for such a project. A technical drawing of our pot stills was sent to Italy, and a short time later we received the first model, printed on a 3D printer.
How was the first draft of the bottle shape received at St Kilian?
Once we had the first design from Italy in our hands, we were absolutely thrilled with the result. Since then, this bottle, modelled on our pot stills, has been the unique selling point of our whiskies with a very high recognition value.
What other features does the St. Kilian pot still bottle have?
The bottle does not have a smooth base, but a deep indentation, a hollow, similar to that of sparkling wine, champagne or Prosecco bottles. It fits the human thumb very well, so that you can comfortably pour our St. Kilian whisky from the pot still bottle into the nosing glasses provided with one hand. In French, by the way, this hollow in the bottom of the bottle is called a “culot de bouteille”.
What sizes are the pot still bottles from St. Kilian?
All single malt whiskies – be it our signature editions, the numerous special editions or the hand-filled single cask and distillery only bottlings – are filled in 0.5 litre pot still glass bottles. On the other hand, our two single malt whiskies from the Core Range, CLASSIC – Mild & Fruity and PEATED – Rich & Smoky, as well as the limited edition Fifty Fifty Peated Blended Whisky – a high-proof collaboration with the German distillery Spreewood Distillers – come in the larger 0.7 litre pot still bottle.
Is only whisky filled into the pot still bottle?
No, since mid-2023, all of our liqueurs, which are based on our New Make Spirit or single malt whisky, and our whisky liqueur “Liqueur” have also been available in a matt black pot still glass bottle.
How big is the original pot still still still?
Our copper stills from Scotland – the wash still and the spirit still – have a height from the lower edge of the base to the centre of the lyne arm of exactly 5,005 millimetres, i.e. just over five metres.
