The Whisky Glass

What do you imagine when people mention Whisky glasses? To most people in the world that are not 'into' there Whiskies would imagine a tumbler, probably quite shallow with a wide rim, probably crystal... and to be fair they would not be wrong to. Lots of times on tv and films when people are drinking Whisky it is in this traditional tumbler. There are some down sides to this though, the wide rim and straight sides allow the aroma of the Whisky to escape, meaning you lose a lot of the experience of drinking and some of the flavour.

The tumbler tends to be used typically for Bourbon and to allow the adding of ice. Something I would not recommend to any discerning Whisky drinker.

The truth is up until 2001, Whisky was drunk typically out of any kind of glass, from goblets through sherry glasses to tumblers. However in 2001 a glass was released by Glencairn Crystal designed by a gentlemen called Raymond Davidson who took it upon himself to design/develop the quintessential Whisky glass. He envisaged a glass based upon the sherry nosing copita, this would allow the Whisky drinker to appreciate the aromas as well as the palate, it would also need to be robust enough to survive in a thriving bar environment. Eventually it reached the Master Blenders of the Scotch Whisky Industry and their guidance and expertise helped the glass evolve. It was perfected to accommodate a 35ml pour and allow for the addition of water. The design was revolutionary, the tapering mouth allowed for ease of drinking, something never associated with a copita, however, it still captured the all-important aromas. The wide bowl of the glass allows you to appreciate the colour and viscosity of the Whisky and the solid base feels good in the hand.

The Glencairn glass can now be found at all major Whisky festivals worldwide, in every discerning Whisky drinkers bar and in nearly every distillery in the world! The best thing about these glasses, they are crystal, but they are also not overly priced, it is available from about £4.00 each for the 'normal' glass up to about £60 for a cut crystal pair.