Are you struggling to find just the right kind of glass for your favorite whiskey? Whether it’s bourbon or Scotch, single malt, blended or rye whiskey, the shape of the glass matters.
Each whiskey type has its character. Blended whiskies can be light yet harsh. Malt whisky, especially Scotch, can be strong yet characteristic. Bourbon tends to be sweet. Irish whiskey is usually smooth. And rye, well, you know. Rye is rye, quite a powerhouse in flavors.
Those descriptions are only stereotypes, variations will most definitely occur. But one thing’s for sure. Whiskey glass type matters. The shape of the glass defines how you’ll detect the aromas. Check out these tips:
1. Shape of the glass
Shape defines how you experience aromas of the whiskey. Aromas are a big part of the whole whiskey tasting experience, just like taste and aftertaste. If you want the complete setup, you should invest in proper nosing glass. Nosing glasses, also known as snifter glasses, offer you the best way to dig into those aromas.
There’s a big difference when sniffing whiskey from tulip or onion shaped glass, compared to a traditional tumbler or even elliptical (curve inward at the top) type.
- Onion shape has the most intense way of giving away aromas because it really concentrates the aromas in the glass.
- Tulip is the second best and will do just fine if you’re an aficionado.
- Elliptical, curve inward without opening at the top, is the third best method.
- And straight shaped glass, used in tumbler glasses usually, wastes aromas most. But tumblers do have their advantages as well, just check out tip number 3.
2. How you like to hold the glass?
There’s two ways you can hold the glass, depending on you preferences. From the neck, if the glass has one. Or just holding it from the bottom when there’s no neck to grab to. I personally prefer a glass which has the neck, also known as Copita nosing glass.
Neck makes it easier to hold on and it also prevents warming the whiskey with your hands. So if you like to sip from a glass without the neck, be sure not to hold it in your hands too long. Warming whiskey with your hands can have a negative effect on the taste.
3. What’s you mood?
Mood is definitely a big variable. Like I stated, I like to use nosing Copita glass. As an aficionado, I usually prefer the onion or tulip shaped glass to get the full experience (getting the aromas best way possible).
But sometimes tumbler glass just is the way to go. If you’re not in the mood for taking your time with the whiskey and you don’t want to focus too much on it.
Tumbler allows you to take bigger sips and gives you room to relax. Sometimes you just want to take it easy, not over analyzing each step the nectarine of gods has to offer.
Hope this list gave you much anticipated information when choosing the best whiskey glasses for your preferences.
