Whiskey glasses

People who drink whisky neat usually choose a 30 to 35 cl glass. You pour in three to four centiliters, leaving plenty of room above the whisky for the aromas to gather. Small 20 or 24 cl whiskey glasses are fuller by comparison, and you drink from them faster. If you use a large, clear ice ball, measure it first. A five-centimeter ball fits comfortably only in a glass of around 35 cl or larger.

Next, consider the weight of the base. A heavy base keeps the glass where you set it, and that matters more with whisky than with any other drink. Onis and Arcoroc make thick-walled tumblers that can take a knock. If you’re looking for luxury whiskey glasses, RCR offers similar shapes in cut crystal, lighter in the hand and more brilliant. Mammoet falls somewhere in between in terms of price. If you want a proper tasting glass with a narrow tulip shape, look beyond tumblers.

Pour whisky neat at room temperature and wait two minutes before nosing. Don’t put your nose directly over the glass, but slightly beside the rim, and exhale through your mouth. Otherwise, you’ll only smell alcohol. A few drops of water take the edge off and release aromas you couldn’t smell before. That’s not watering it down; it’s technique.

If you use ice, choose one large cube instead of four small ones. A large cube has proportionally less surface area and melts much more slowly. With small cubes, you’ll have a glass of whiskey and water within a few minutes. You can also use this tumbler for cocktails. An old fashioned is stirred right in the glass and poured over fresh ice, while a whiskey sour is shaken hard and then poured, so the foam stays nicely on top.

Whisky glasses rarely get dirty, but they do get dull. Dish soap odors linger in the glass, and you notice them right away when tasting a spirit. So rinse thoroughly with clean water. For a nosing glass, it’s better to rinse it with hot water only, without soap.

Cut crystal and thick bar glass shouldn’t be treated the same way. Lead-free crystal can go on a short glassware cycle in the dishwasher, but too much rinse aid and hard water can make it look cloudy. Tempered glass can take more, but not a damaged rim. Dry both with a lint-free cloth while they’re still lukewarm. That way, you won’t get limescale streaks or have to polish them.

There’s plenty to choose from beyond this page, too. The heavy, low glasses with thick bases are listed separately under old-fashioned glasses. The wider tumbler glasses work just as well for water and soft drinks. If you’re tasting, the narrow tasting glasses work better than a tumbler. Want to decant the bottle? Take a look under whiskey decanters or decanters. For stirring, measuring, and straining a cocktail, you’ll find the tools under bar spoons, along with jiggers and mixing glasses.