Filed under vodka bottles wholesale; the moulds we quote for this are pictured at the foot of the page.
A vodka quarter bottle is the 180ml single-serve spirits bottle of the Indian and South Asian market, and its price is quoted per project rather than from a list. The figure depends on glass weight (130-160g is the working range), round or flat-flask shape, stock or embossed mould, order quantity and freight terms. Fix those points in the brief and the quotes you collect become comparable.
What "quarter" means, and which bottle to ask for
In India the quarter is nominally one fourth of a 750ml full bottle. State-licensed shops sell it as the lowest rung of a brand's size ladder, which is why it moves in very large volumes. In the wine trade the same word points to a 187ml split, a different bottle altogether.
The two are not interchangeable. Fill height and legal metrology differ, so a 187ml wine mould cannot stand in for a 180ml spirits mould. Write the capacity in millilitres on every enquiry instead of relying on the word "quarter". For how full-size spirits glass is costed, our glass bottle price reference gives the wider picture.
Specification of the 180ml quarter
Four dimensions define the bottle, and each has a reason behind it.
- Capacity: 180ml nominal, 190-195ml brimful. State excise metrology audits the declared volume, so every mould cavity has to deliver the same capacity. This is a legal requirement as much as a commercial one.
- Weight: 130-160g. Each gram removed lowers both the glass cost and the freight cost.
- Shape: a round of about 60-62mm diameter x 150-160mm height, or a flat hip-flask profile that packs 10-15% denser per carton.
- Finish: 25mm or 28mm ROPP (roll-on pilfer-proof). The capper chuck rolls the aluminium shell into the glass thread to form both the cap threads and the breakaway band, which makes finish gauge consistency the most important QC dimension on the bottle.
Reference formats and what moves the quote
The table lists the configurations buyers most often compare. Weight, shape, embossing and finish are the variables that separate one quote from another.
| Model | Format | Brimful | Weight | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QT-180R | Round | 192ml | 155g | 28mm ROPP |
| QT-180F | Flat flask | 190ml | 150g | 28mm ROPP |
| QT-180LW | Round lightweight | 192ml | 132g | 25mm ROPP |
| QT-180E | Round embossed | 192ml | 158g | 28mm ROPP |
| SP-187W | Wine split (Bordeaux) | 195ml | 140g | BVS 30×60 |
A bottle quote normally covers the glass packed in divider cartons. Caps are quoted separately as matched kits, with either an EPE or a tin-saran liner. When you compare offers, check that each one is built on the same weight, the same pack and the same cap kit. Non-alcoholic single-serve formats follow a similar logic, described on our juice bottle pricing page.
Why the quarter is sealed with ROPP
Regulation comes first. Indian state excise frameworks in effect require tamper-evident closures on retail spirits, and the breakaway band of an ROPP cap is the least costly way to comply.
Line speed is the second reason. An ROPP capper with a single-head chuck handles 12,000-24,000 bottles per hour, which suits a format produced fast and on thin margins. For the buyer, that leaves two inspection points: the thread profile on the glass and the liner compound in the cap. EPE serves standard spirits. Tin-saran is the choice for high-ester flavoured vodkas, where aroma scalping is a concern.
Shipping and compliance for India-bound orders
Shape decides the load. A 40-foot high-cube reaches its weight ceiling at roughly 300,000-330,000 flat-flask quarters, against 260,000-280,000 rounds. At these volumes the denser flask pack is a real freight saving.
Quarters travel in divider cartons of 24 or 48 per case, and it is sensible to allow 2% spare glass for breakage. Bottles arrive unlabelled, so the importer's exposure on the glass is limited to capacity metrology and closure compliance. Indian spirits importers also need BIS-compliant packaging declarations and state-specific excise label registrations.
Demand in India peaks around the festival quarters. A 500,000-piece order is a scheduled multi-gob production campaign and cannot be pulled from stock, so plan it well ahead of the shipping window. We match the project to a suitable plant and coordinate samples, inspection and export documents; you can send the brief here. If the same portfolio includes a 750ml line, the full-size wine bottle collection shows how the larger format is specified.
Frequently asked questions
What does a 180ml vodka quarter bottle cost FOB?
There is no single figure. The quote follows the mould (stock or custom), any decoration or embossing, the quantity and the freight terms, so it is prepared per project.
What is the minimum order for 180ml quarters?
Minimums are also set per project. They depend on the mould and on the production line it runs on.
Why ROPP caps and not corks?
Pilfer-proof regulation and the price point of the format both point to ROPP.
Should quarters be made in flint or super-flint glass?
Standard flint. The quarter is a value format whose contents are drunk young and cold, and the extra clarity of low-iron super-flint glass goes unnoticed at this level. Keep super-flint for 750ml SKUs positioned higher in the range.
Can one 180ml mould serve vodka, whisky and rum?
Yes, and the Indian market is built on this. Stock rounds and flat flasks are category-neutral, and brands set themselves apart with labels, capsule colours and carton design. A custom embossed mould only starts to make sense above roughly 1 million bottles per year per SKU.