So, here's a question I never thought I would have the use to ask...is distilling your own spirits legal in Switzerland?
I was at a rather well known store today and they were selling copper stills. I asked if that's what I thought it was, and they said yes.
I then asked if it was legal in Switzerland to make your own Schnapps/Whiskey, and was told, they didn't know, but knew it was legal to sell the stills, but not if it was legal to actually use them for their intended purposes.
So....?

It's illegal to distill spirits without a license from the Federal Alcohol Administration. Unless you own a farm with grandfathered rights (before 1930), that requires a minimum production of 200 litres of ethanol (= 500 litres of 40% schnapps) per year. You will also have to pay tax at a rate of CHF 29 per litre of ethanol.

So why are they selling these small mini stills for? There is no "personal" use distilling exceptions?

No exception, but you can set up a syndicate to get to the 200 litres. THere is a lower tax rate for very small producers.

Why they're selling the stills? Why, for decorative purposes of course. Just like the bongs in the Headshops. Or the stuff in shops that specialise in selling equipment for "home-growing tomatoes" , such as special soil, powerful lamps, fertilizer etc...