To attain a more refined edge, impress your guests, and help keep your liver from going on strike, it’s better to have a glass for your whiskey. Proper glasses help the spirit to breathe. They capture the scent of the alcohol and are shaped so that it slides onto your tongue precisely. They also look far more impressive than a bleary-eyed burnout suckling on a jug of Johnnie Walker; though, aren’t half as much fun. For boredom’s sake, here’s the 16 best whiskey glasses.
Copita Nosing Glass
This glass was suggested by Master Blender of Whyte and Mackay, Rich Paterson, and he’s onto something. It bears the same tulip shape that you’ll find with many of the more refined whiskey glasses, but has a longer wine-glass stem. The effect is more delicate than even Spiegelau’s pilsner piece, and is favored by those who like their drinks with dinner. Purchase: $14
Kangaroo Whiskey Shot Glass
Not every whiskey is meant to be sipped, and some don’t require the artful tulip mien to be enjoyed. When speed and buzz are of the essence, time is a factor, and your cheap handle of rotgut doesn’t offer a lot of flavor, the Kangaroo is how you put some bounce in your body. Purchase: $14
The Neat Spirit Glass
“The Neat” is a tool intended for connoisseurs that has found its way into the hands of ordinary drinkers. The wide lower bulb, narrow neck, and broad sipping rim work to cut out the harsh fumes from the booze and provide a more exact tasting experience. This is good for really tasting the nuance behind the alcohol, but also for drinking harsher spirits without getting the same nose and throat burn that other glasses will provide. Purchase: $19
Spiegelau Stemmed Pilsner Glass
A beer glass isn’t necessarily the first thing you might think of when pouring rye, but it works exceedingly well. The shape is the classic tulip design to facilitate appreciation of a drink’s nose. Beyond that, the base is a little lighter than you typically find in tumblers and other whiskey receptacles, for those who don’t want the dense bottom. Slightly wider and broader all around than the Glencairn, it’s not for everyone, but a worthy addition to a home bar, since beer is a universal need. Purchase: $29
Roly Poly Rocking Whiskey Glasses
The rocking whiskey glass is a cute idea that usually isn’t executed well. There’s a few choices out there, but the Roly Poly seems to have sewn up this particular subset of the market. It’s nothing more than a tilted tumbler, so if that’s what you want, this is the place to get it. Purchase: $30
Glencairn Whisky Glass
Considered by rank amateurs and most professionals to be the best whiskey container created by human hands, the Glencairn uses a tulip body with a dense base for a solid grip, yet a delicate feel. It funnels the aroma of the spirits straight up and out, so each sip is accompanied by the bouquet of your booze. The outcome is a deeper taste, a longer pull, and a fuller experience. Try your favorite scotch in it and a normal tumbler to appreciate the difference. Purchase: $32
Ashcroft Twist
The twist is intended to maintain the temperature of your whisky throughout the experience. The angled body provides more insulation to the sides so your hand doesn’t warm the fluid as easily. Otherwise, there’s little difference between the Twist and a standard tumbler. It has a wide mouth for scent appreciation, and a sturdy build for grip. Purchase: $35
Casablanca Coupe Glasses
Coupe glasses are built for housing whiskey cocktails rather than straight sipping. The antithesis of the shot glass, you’ll need to practice drinking out of these – unless you’re already a Manhattan (or Cosmo, no judgment) drinker. The saucer shape is handy for slowing down your drinking and helping enjoy the fine mix before you. Purchase: $44
Snowe Short Tumbler
Made in Italy out of lead-free crystalized glass that is easily cleaned in the dishwasher, the basic build of the Short Tumbler makes it a standard for the drinker who doesn’t want flash or fanfare with their liquor. Purchase: $48
Norlan Glass
Kickstarter darling Norlan has finally launched, and it’s more than the designers promised. The dual walled body adds more shine to the color of your spirits, and the frame uses a tulip-ish build that is equally impressive on nose as it is flavor. Purchase: $48
Riedel Vinum Whisky Glasses
A bold statement, but independent research has shown that the nose and taste of many whiskies might be improved over the famous Glencairn if they are poured into a Riedel Vinum. It has a thistle, rather than tulip, shape that isn’t as focused on cramming scents into your sinuses. Even if you prefer the Glencairn, having a couple of these on hand for harsher choices – or interesting guests – is smart bartending. Purchase: $50
The Cube Glass
There’s a lot of cheap choices when it comes to whiskey holsters that you freeze, but The Cube is tops. The dense glass bulb or block in the center freezes hard and chills your spirits without watering them down. It works identically to an ice sphere, cube, or wedge, but keeps the lines of your drink and looks more refined than dumping a brick or ball into your cup. Purchase: $80
Ox Horn Double Old Fashioned Whiskey Tumbler
Perhaps not the best way to nose your whiskey, but a great way to look like a Viking while drinking. Purchase: $153
Waterford Mad Men Edition
A celebration of the TV show that made excessively macho imbibing into an art form, the banded top of the glass prevents cloudiness and oily messes from building up on the glass while still giving you plenty of nose and more than a little lip. Purchase: $175
Lowball Machined Tumbler
Never once has anyone thought “This whiskey would be better drunk out of aerospace aluminum that has been machined with specialized grip texture.” Yet, we now all wish we had. The Lowball’s edge nearly eliminates lip drips that wend down to your table, and the metal is treated to prevent a hint of flavor from tarnishing the taste of your bottled up feelings. Purchase: $280
Hawkes Antique Whiskey Glasses
Hand cut in Tiffin, Ohio, these cut crystal goblets date back to the late 1800’s, when whiskey was largely a “low class” booze. The build is older than the bourbon boom and has a decidedly European feel. As stylish in a studio apartment as a manse with full wetbar, Hawkes is class in your fist. Purchase: $750
