Which glass do I buy?
For some people, having a whisky is having one more drink; for many others, including myself, having a whisky is a special, different moment that must be enjoyed to the fullest.
It does not matter if it is with friends, after a meal, at a tasting or alone at home.
How to choose whisky glasses?
Everyone has their tastes and I’m going to tell you some of mine.
For me, one of my favorite moments of having a whisky is the preparation, that moment before starting the drink in which you face your personal ritual to prepare the glass.
Decisions begin; which whisky to drink, water or not, ice or not… and for me a key point: What glass do I use today?
The answer: IT DEPENDS!
It depends on the whisky, if I put ice on it, if it is going to be quick, if I am going to have one or more… Hence, for me, every fan and lover of whisky should have a small collection of whisky glasses.
There are many whisky glasses available, but after a lot of research and testing I could say that I have a list of essentials that I will share with you. Also, along the way I have found some interesting news.
The most popular whisky glasses:
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Glencairn
The Glencairn is one of the most popular and well-known types of whisky glasses. Despite its ubiquitous presence, (its the official tasting glass of all Scottish & Irish distilleries) the Glencairn glass has only been around for the last 10 years. Today, more than 1 million glasses are shipped from Glencairn’s factory around the world.
It has a narrow tip, a wider base and a short and solid stem. This results in a sturdy glass that lets the whisky’s aromas come forward. The design provides an excellent tasting experience that is still very manageable even when you are a few too many drams in.
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NEAT Glass
The NEAT glass is a scientifically designed nosing and tasting glass with a wide tip and base. This glass supposedly eliminates nose burn and numbing, which helps to bring out the more subtle aromas. Perhaps for this reason it has been adopted by dozens of international spirits competitions as an official tasting glass.
It’s an excellent nosing glass, but shape makes drinking slightly less easy.
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Tulip / Copita
Nothing beats a classic. A copita or tulip glass is the most traditional whisky nosing glass. It is also the preferred tasting glass of the legendary Richard Paterson. It’s similar to a Glencairn in shape, but with a longer, thin stem. These glasses can have rounded or a pointed bottoms.
Although it may be the most traditional of the 8 different types of whisky glasses, it is also the most likely to get you in trouble over the course of multiple tastings. It’s long stem and narrow base make it the most unstable, and therefore highly likely to be tipped over or broken if you aren’t careful.
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Norlan Glass
The double-walled Norlan Whisky Glass uses science to capture whisky’s complex aromatics. The inner wall is pretty much shaped like a Glencairn, with swirl ridges added at the bottom that are supposed to bring out the aromas. The outer wall provides a more robust, easier to handle glass shaped similar to a stemless wine glass.
It’s also available in heavier (and pricier!) tumbler-version. This is one where your personal sense of style may have to outweigh the additional cost compared to a simple Glencairn.
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Tumbler/Rocks Glass
The tumbler (or rocks glass as it is more commonly referred to in the US) is another classic. It is a wide glass with a thick, heavy bottom and little to no changes in shape of the body of the glass. A nice tumbler screams Mad Men all the way. This is often the glass scene when actors or actresses are enjoying whisky on screen.
This solid glass makes drinking very easy, but the straight glass walls make it less suitable for nosing. While it is probably not the best option for whisky purists, its size and shape best allow for the addition of large ice cubes. This whisky glass is also perfect for cocktails, particularly.
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Snifter
Snifter glasses are also known as balloons or cognac glasses. The short stem of the snifter glass allows the glass to be cupped in the hand, which slowly warms the whisky. If you prefer your whisky chilled, this probably isn’t the ideal type of glass for you.
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Vinum Single Malt
Vinum is a tall whisky glass by wine glass designing experts Riedel, which pretty much has the looks of a snifter and a Glencairn, blended with a vase. Why do you need this Franken-glass? Unclear. According to Riedel’s website, the glass has “an elongated thistle shape on a truncated stem, and incorporates a small, slightly outturned lip which highlights sweetness.”
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Swirling Glass
A swirling glass has a ridge or spike in the bottom of the glass, to enhance ethanol vaporization when you swirl the whisky in the glass. Normann Copenhagen’s designer Rikke Hagen created a glass with a swirl pyramid.
These are some of our favorite types of whisky glasses. What is your go to glass for sipping your favorite dram or tasting something new?
Enjoy having a whisky your way with everything that surrounds you.
@WhiskeyClubMadrid
