When Drinking Whiskey, Does Glassware Matter?
The glassware you are drinking from is critical and deserves careful consideration. Using the best whiskey glasses available can drastically change your perception of the spirit. The emotions a glass evokes when you see it, the way it fits in your hand, the glass’s weight and thickness all factor into the experience when enjoying a cocktail.
When enjoying a beverage as complex as whiskey, the right glass allows the taste and aromas to present themselves accurately.
How the Shape of The Glass Effects Flavor and Aroma
Foot (If Applicable)
When a whiskey glass has a stem, the glass’s foot is the round plate that the drink stands on. The increased weight of the plate provides a lower center of gravity and better stability.
Stem (If Applicable)
The stem on a whiskey tasting glass is important because it keeps the warmth from your hands away from the glass and prevents you from touching the rim.
The warmth from your hands could affect the whiskey’s temperature, and touching the rim could transfer scents from your hand, affecting the whiskey’s smell.
Bowl
The bowl of a whiskey glass plays a critical role in how you will perceive the whiskey’s taste. The right size bowl makes it easy to swirl and allows the aromatic molecules to gather and concentrate, releasing subtle, nuanced flavors in your beverage.
Too small a glass and the lower surface area will prevent the whiskey from reaching the air hiding its subtle aromas. Too large a glass and the aromas will be swallowed up and drowned in the extra space.
Rim
Right behind the bowl, the rim is the second most important feature of a good whiskey glass. At the top of the bowl, the rim should begin to pull in slightly. This will take all of those aromas and begin to force them together before directing them up and into the drinker’s nose. But much like the bowl, the rim needs to be a specific size.
Too large and the aromas will easily escape, and the air will pull it out of the glass as it passes across the top. Too small, and the ethanol vapors won’t separate from the more aromatic molecules of the whiskey.
Ethanol, as it evaporates, releases all of the trapped aromas of the whiskey. The problem is that ethanol is so strong that it also overpowers these aromas. But because ethanol tends to travel up the sides of the glass, if you get a decent size rim, what will happen is that you get separation between the ethanol and the flavor aromas.
As the ethanol travels up the sides of the glass, you get a “sweet spot” in the center where the flavor aromas are most concentrated and less entangled with the stifling ethanol. With the perfect sized rim, you have something big enough where the smells can separate but small enough that they don’t all evaporate away before you can really appreciate them.
Some glasses, like the NEAT glass, will even go so far as to flare out at the last minute. This shape further diffuses the ethanol fumes away from the center once they reach the top of the glass.
Things to Consider When Picking A Whiskey Glass
The Pour
The pour matters when choosing the right glass. Whether you like to drink your cocktails neat, on the rocks, or served up, they will all require a different glass for the optimal experience.
The Quality of your Whiskey
The quality of your whiskey matters when picking your glass. We all have different budgets and different tastes. Some of us prefer single malt high-end scotch whiskeys, and some of us are happy to drink whatever is on sale that week. As long as you enjoy what you are drinking, then you’re doing it correctly.
That being said, if you have an extremely expensive whiskey, then you want to invest in a proper glass. You want something that will direct the aroma to your nose, with a proper bowl that will allow the aromas to really come through from the drink.
If you’re consuming lower end whiskey, you probably want something just the opposite. A wide-mouthed glass that will allow the aroma to evaporate quickly. And a lot of ice that will keep your drink cold, muddling some of the harsher flavors.
Appearance
This is a personal choice that you will have to make, but it is an important one. Everyone likes their own unique styles, but the weight of the glass, the thickness, and how you feel when you look at it. These all influence how much you enjoy your drink.
When you are happy, you naturally enjoy the things around you more. If you’re using the “optimal” glass, but you don’t enjoy drinking from it, then it’s not really the optimal glass. Pick a glass that you enjoy drinking from and start your whiskey experience off right.
Ice or No Ice
The use of ice is a big debate in the whiskey community. Some people think that a cold drink muddles the flavor and aromas of the whiskey. Some think that ice will melt and ruin the flavor of the spirit.
Others say that a small hint of water alleviates some of the smell of ethanol and allows you to taste the whiskey’s subtle nuances better. Whatever you like best is fine, but if you like a drink with ice, you need to make sure that you pick a glass with the room to hold it.
And if you’re wondering who is right in the argument on whether or not whiskey should be diluted, we go more in-depth on the science behind diluting your whiskey below.
The Best Whiskey Glasses For Tasting & Nosing
With a neat glass, you are looking for a glass with a wide bowl that can easily swirl the whiskey to aerate it, reducing the ethanol’s intensity.
The wider bottom of the bowl also gives space for the aromas to sit and concentrate.
Then the glass should begin to pull in near the rim. This directs those concentrated aromas up to the drinker’s nose.
The Glencairn Glass
Coming into production in 2001, the Glencairn Glass was made by Glencairn Crystal Ltd, with the help of some of the top master distillers in Scotland. Glencairn wanted to make the perfect glass designed explicitly for drinking whiskey.
Something that would allow their drinkers to experience the full richness of their whiskeys. Highlighting the color, the smell, and the flavor, all while feeling good in your hand.
This glass is the culmination of these fervent efforts and has become what most connoisseurs consider to be the official glass for tasting whiskey. This glass even went on to win the Queen’s Award for Innovation in 2006.
The Glencairn can be held from the bottom, so you’re not warming your whiskey, or it can be cradled so that you are warming it. The bulbous bowl allows the whiskey to be easily swirled, while the narrowing at the top drives the aroma straight to your nose.
The Norlan Glass
This is another exceptional glass. The Norlan Glass was created with master distiller Jim McEwan. It is stemless, but you’ll notice that it has a double-walled design that keeps your hands from warming the whiskey. It is hand blown with borosilicate glass, which is an extremely durable lab-quality glass. So despite its very thin and ultra-lightweight design, the glass is exceptionally sturdy.
The magic behind this glass starts at the bottom of the bowl. There are protrusions on the inside of the glass, right on the bottom of the bowl. These protrusions were actually inspired by nature. Through bio-mimicry, they developed a glass that, when swirled, creates a standing wave shape. This standing wave created inside the glass aerates the whiskey better than any other glass on the market.
This quick aeration reduces ethanol intensity and increases aroma. Those chemicals then begin to intensify as the glass closes in at the rim. It then quickly flares out at the end, dispersing the ethanol away from the center of the glass and allowing the rich aromas of the whiskey to travel directly into the drinker’s nose.
The Norlan whiskey glass also comes with an unbelievably beautiful matte black outside as one available option. This matte design would guarantee you compliments at any social gathering. That can also be found when clicking on the link above. But for the sake of understanding how the glass is built, we have shown you the fully transparent glass model above.
It is also worth noting that this glass is designed specifically for drinking whiskey neat. Its total capacity is only 6.9 fl oz, with a recommended pour of no more than 1.5 fl oz. For scale, 1.5 fl oz is most commonly considered to be one standard shot.
The N.E.A.T Glass
The NEAT Glass stands for Naturally Engineered Aroma Technology. This glass was built based on the science we know about ethanol evaporation, and because they relied so heavily on what the science says, they ended up with an incredible nosing glass.
The NEAT glass is now one of the most widely used competition glasses covering whiskey competitions and many different distilled spirits. The Neat glass has a wide bulbous bowl that is perfect for swirling your whiskey, releasing ethanol vapors, and the natural aromatics.
Although these glasses are small, they still leave room in the bowl so that the bouquet can accumulate and become stronger before being brought up to the nose. You’ll notice the rim also narrows at the top, squeezing the aroma to increase density and, therefore, the perception of more subtle aromas.
Since ethanol vapors tend to travel up the sides of the glass, the rim also flares out at the end, directing the ethanol away from the center of the glass and creating a sweet spot right in the middle of the rim that will be naturally filled with the remaining, more pleasing aromas.
This glass is small, only holding 1.5 fl oz at a time, but few glasses can compete in the same category as the NEAT glass. It lends itself to increasing the different aromas you can pick up on, no matter what distilled spirit you put inside it.
The Best Whiskey Glasses For Drinking On The Rocks
The beautiful thing about a rocks glass is that it is a very personal preference to which you think is best.
You’re not looking for the perfect shape to swirl or the ideal rim size for directing the aroma of the drink.
When you pour something “on the rocks” or over ice, all you need is a glass that you really enjoy.
Light & Thin
This is one of my absolute favorite whiskey glasses, the Riedel O Whiskey Tumbler. These are the glasses that I use at my house. I’ve gotten my father and brother hooked on them; they are absolutely fantastic.
They are made of ultra-thin glass all the way around; even the base is only a hair thicker than the sides.
This gives the glass a delicate feel in your hand and an almost unnoticed touch on your lips. Keeping it from interfering with your experience of the whiskey.
This thin profile also gives this whiskey glass an extra-large 15 1/8 oz capacity. I love this feature of the glass because even with a large pour, it is so light that it still gives a nice even weight in your hand.
But best of all, these super-thin glasses remain entirely dishwasher safe.
Mouth Blown Hand Cut Crystal
The Barski Mouth Blown Hand Cut Crystal Whiskey Glass is a piece of art; it’s as simple as that.
There is no finer piece of glassware made than one someone poured their blood, sweat, and tears into by mouth blowing and then carving each glass from fine crystal.
These glasses are the epitome of class and bring you to appreciate a fine whiskey the right way. These glasses are a solid 12 fl oz size and are dishwasher safe for added convenience.
Thick & Heavy
The Mofado Crystal Whiskey Glasses is an exceptionally beautiful and thick whiskey glass.
Not only is the bottom thick, but the sides are thick as well, and the weight of this glass is increased by the fact that it is made of hand-blown, fully leaded crystal.
The lead gives the crystal its unparalleled clarity, but it also adds weight to the glass.
So if you’re the kind of person looking for an old fashioned thick and heavy whiskey glass made of high-end crystal, then this is the one for you because each glass weighs over a pound.
This glass also has a good-sized 12 fl oz capacity, so it can easily handle large ice balls or cubes.
Vintage Style
If you’re looking for a classic style, there are few things more iconic than Waterford crystal. These are the Marquis by Waterford Markham Double Old Fashioned Glasses.
They are not authentic Waterford crystal. Instead, they are made from lead-free crystalline glass. In 1991 Waterford introduced the Marquis line as a more affordable option than their costly Waterford line; that is where these glasses are made.
None the less these glasses are made in the Waterford name. They have the same quality that you have come to expect from the brand. They are on the heavier side for people that enjoy that.
They have an 11-ounce capacity and are perfect for everyday use or entertaining. The only downside to everyday use is that they are recommended hand wash only.
Best Crystal Glass
This is the beautiful Reed and Barton Crystal Double Old Fashioned Glass.
These glasses are part of the Reed and Barton Soho collection. A collection of fine crystal glasses cut in a fashion that is meant to represent the high energy of Soho.
The beautiful deeps cuts in this fully leaded crystal glass radiant upward in a sophisticated contemporary style, catching the light beautifully. These glasses are the embodiment of classic old-style fully leaded crystal
Unique Whiskey Glasses
The 5 O’Clock Rocks Snifter is an incredible rocks glass because it has a similar shape to the Glencairn glass but lacks the stem.
This gives the snifter the perfect shaping for a nosing glass, bringing out the full bouquet in your whiskey.
This glass comes with an 11 fl oz capacity and also has a rim big enough to fit a large ice ball if needed.
This glass is beautifully shaped and is handcrafted with ultra-clear crystal, but what makes this glass truly unique is its versatility at the bar.
This is an exceptional whiskey glass, but it is also perfect for a Sangria, a Gin and Tonic, a Manhattan, or even a glass of wine.
Best Rolling Whiskey Glass
These are the Aura Glass Rolling Whiskey Glasses, and they’re our favorite whiskey glasses because they’re the only ones we’ve come across that have this really cool design.
Most glasses are just blown with a conical shape at the bottom so that the glass spins, but these actually have a large steel balled pressed into the bottom that causes the glass to roll.
This ball is much better in a lot of ways because when you’re holding the glass you can hold it from the bottom, and the steel ball fits nicely and securely between your fingers.
These glasses also excel because they come with real wood oak coasters, which will hold your glass upright when you’re tired of it rolling, just another fantastic feature that a lot of other glasses lack.
Best Diamond Whiskey Glass
The Dragon Glassware Diamond Whiskey Glass is a crystal-clear lead-free glass that sports a diamond based design and sits at a rolling 50-degree angle.
Although this glass always looks as though it is about to fall over, it won’t. The diamond design does cause it to roll around its center point, though.
This aerates your whiskey as you sit without you having to worry about swirling it.
This glass features a thick-walled styling to keep your drink insulated and to increase its durability.
The thick walls make this dishwasher, refrigerator, and freezer safe.
Best Priced Whiskey Glass
This is the Ashcroft Twist Whiskey Glass and is our pick for the best budget rocks glass on the market.
If you want a good style that is visually appealing, you want a good weight and feel in your hand, and you want a thickness that feels right on your lips, then this is the glass.
For us, this glass met all of those needs and has become an instant favorite of everyone that drinks from it.
The Ashcroft Twist is made from lead-free crystal, it has a unique style, and it fits in your hand nicely. It looks just as nice sitting on the table at a fancy dinner as it does on the poker table for game night.
Personalized Whiskey Glass
These Personalized Cube Rocks Whiskey Glass are the perfect gift for any occasion.
They are made from fine crystal and are laser engraved to say whatever you want!
They also feature thick, durable glass for a heavy but balanced feel in your hand and a thickness that will keep your drink colder for longer. They are also 100% dishwasher safe.
The Best Whiskey Glass For Drinking a Cocktail Up
Cocktails served “up” refer to the coupe glasses shape. It has a wide shallow bowl that sits on a long thin stem.
These glasses are used to serve a mixed drink that doesn’t require ice, such as a manhattan.
Premium Pick
This is the Riedel Cocktail Glass. These glasses are part of a collection that was made specifically for different common bar drinks. This glass was made with the goal of creating the perfect manhattan glass, and this is what they came up with.
It is a machine-blown lead-free glass with a 4-ounce capacity. The glass is intentionally shaped so that you don’t have to tilt your head back very far when you drink.
The thin lip delivers your manhattan straight to your mid-palate, where it can be enjoyed to its fullest. These glasses were thoughtfully designed, and it comes through when you use them.
Budget Pick
For an amazing affordable buy, we suggest the Libbey Signature Kentfield Coupe Cocktail Glasses.
These beautiful glasses are BPA and lead-free. They are made in the US. The seamless transition on the glass, coupled with the laser cut lip, gives this a brilliantly classic look.
This glass is made using their state of the art ClearFire glass, which allows them to make thinner glass that still maintain good strength.
Overall, these glasses have a beautiful classic style, and they fit well in your hand.
Best Whiskey Shot Glass
The shot glass is a disgrace to any good whiskey.
It doesn’t offer the potential for any good aromas or appreciation for color. It is designed to be thrown back and barely even tasted.
When drinking good whiskey, a shot glass should never be used.
But if you do decide to use one, the Le’raze Heavy Base Shot Glass is what we recommend because it still has style.
It has a sleek, clean style with a heavy base that feels good and strong in your hand. It holds 2 oz of liquor, so it lets you get a full shot, 1.5 oz, without having to fill it to the top.
These shot glasses are BPA free and are made in Italy, so you know that they are quality.
How You Can Use Your Glass To Bring Whiskey To Its Optimal Temperature
Whiskey should be served at a temperature between 60 and 65 degrees.
This is why we suggest storing your whiskey in a cool dark cabinet.
But because most of us don’t store our whiskey at that temperature, there are some safe methods that you can take to bring your whiskey back to the right temperature once it is poured.
How to Properly Warm Your Whiskey
If you live in a cold environment where your whiskey always seems to be cooler than 60 degrees, don’t put it in the microwave or over the stove. These are temperature extremes that will shock the whiskey.
Simply cup your hands around the bowl of the whiskey and allow your natural body heat to bring the spirit up to its optimal temperature slowly.
How to Properly Cool Down Your Whiskey
If you know that your whiskey is above 65 degrees, then you can refrigerate or even freeze your whiskey glass before pouring in your spirits.
A frozen whiskey glass will drop a shot of whiskey from 72 to 60 degrees in a matter of minutes. A refrigerated glass will cut it to about 65 degrees in the same amount of time.
These temps aren’t so cold that you’ll disrupt the natural aromas or flavors. It actually does the opposite, allowing some of those naturals smells and flavors to be released by bringing the whiskey back to its optimal temperature.
The Most Common Types of Whiskey Glasses
Lowball Glass
The lowball glass, also called a rocks glass, an old fashioned glass, or a whiskey tumbler. It is the most common glass used to serve whiskey. Used mostly when pouring a drink on the rocks, it is characterized by its short but wide stature.
Highball Glass
The highball glass is the opposite of the lowball. It is characterized by its tall but thin stature. It is only used when pouring a mixed drink. Usually, when serving a craft cocktail with whiskey, like a Kentucky mule.
The Tulip Glass
The tulip glass also referred to as the copita glass or the dock glass, is a favorite among many master distillers and connoisseurs. It has a rim that narrows at the top, allowing aromas to concentrate up to the drinker’s nose.
At the same time, its long stem ensures that you’re not picking up any scents coming off of your hands. This is also a traditional glass to sample sherry wines.
Glencairn Glass
The Glencairn is the traditional glass for drinking whiskey neat. It shares a lot of similarities with the tulip glass. It has a large bowl that narrows at the rim. This allows the aromas to be directed up towards the drinker’s nose.
It also has an ideal shape for swirling your whiskey, allowing some of the more subtle aromas to really come through. Unlike the tulip, the Glencairn is usually a bit thicker and stands on a short heavy base.
The Snifter
This is the quintessential glassware of the old, high society gentleman’s club. Originally used when drinking brandy, it is now also used for any dark liquor.
Although it was made famous as a way to properly drink whiskey or brandy neat, it is not actually the ideal way to get the full aroma of your whiskey.
That is because its large base and narrow rim allow ethanol fumes to build up and overpower some of the more subtle notes in your whiskey.
The NEAT Glass (Naturally Engineered Aroma Technology)
The NEAT glass was originally a glassblower’s mistake, but it turned out to be an exceptional drinking glass. That is because its unique design is the optimal shape for separating whiskey’s aromatic vapors from its ethanol vapors.
The glass is wide at the bottom, allowing for an easy swirl and optimal evaporation for a better bouquet. Because of its shape when the whiskey evaporates, the ethanol travels up the side of the glass and away from your nose, but right in the center is the aromatic sweet spot.
There, you get all of the subtle smells and flavors that differentiate high-end whiskeys, without any of them being muddled by ethanol. This eliminates any alcohol burn and allows you to enjoy the rich, authentic flavors of your whiskey.
Coupe Glass
A coupe glass is also referred to as a champagne glass or a champagne saucer. It was originally designed for champagne but is now used to serve any drink up.
They refer to drinks served in them as “up” because of the glasses characteristically long stem and wide shallow bowl. These often hold mixed drinks that don’t require ice in the glass, such as a manhattan.
Should You Dilute Your Whiskey With Water?
This is one of the biggest and most fought over questions in the world of fine spirits. With many people on both sides holding very passionate opinions over what is the best way to experience all that whiskey has to offer.
The reality is that there is no consensus.
Some preliminary studies are showing that watering down your whiskey will bring ethanol to the surface. And since guaiacol, the chemical responsible for the smokey, spicey, peaty smell of whiskey, loves ethanol and hates water. And since it shares a very similar structure to the same chemicals that produce vanilla and citrus aromas.
Then it is theorized that diluting whiskey would bring ethanol and its aromatic friends to the surface of the liquid, where they can easily aerosolize into aromas that are picked up by the drinker.
But it is worth noting that these are preliminary scientific studies, and in our opinion, like most things in life, you should drink your whiskey in whatever way that you enjoy it most.
Whiskey is a different thing to everyone, and enjoying it to its fullest, means taking it in however you like best.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Glass is Best For Whiskey?
Scientifically speaking, the best glass for whiskey is probably the NEAT glass. It was engineered to optimize aroma delivery, and it is the official tasting glass of many major competitions.
What is a Whiskey Glass Called?
The whiskey glass is known by many different names. People often refer to it as a whiskey tumbler, a lowball glass, an old fashioned glass, or a rocks glass.
How Much Will a Whiskey Glass Hold?
A whiskey glass will usually hold between 7 to 12 fl oz.
Are Whiskey and Scotch Glasses the Same?
There is no difference between whiskey and scotch glasses. Scotch is a specific subset of whiskey, meaning that scotch is a type of whiskey. Any glass that is good for drinking whiskey will be equally good for drinking scotch.
Who Makes the Best Glencairn Glass?
Glencairn Crystal Ltd makes the best Glencairn glass. They are a leading manufacturer of bespoke crystal and glass for over three decades and are the creators of the iconic Glencairn glass.
