Whiskey Glasses: The Only Guide You Will Ever Need

The Only Guide You Need To Understand Whiskey Glasses

There is a unique moment on your journey from a casual drinker of whiskey to a serious whiskey drinker. That moment is when you find out there are different types of whiskey glasses, and that each one changes and enhances the drinking experience. You feel that twinge of curiosity pulling you to research the different glassware. You need a guide.

Well, look no further, because you have found it: the only guide to whiskey glasses you will ever need. 

From the different types of whiskey glassware, to how and when to use each, this guide will teach you how to enhance your whiskey drinking experience--just by changing the glassware.

The Basics of Glassware: Why it Matters

You may be thinking, It’s whiskey, right? You drink it. Why does it matter what you drink it out of?

Because it does. Small changes in a given glass’s structure can dramatically change the way an alcohol interacts with outside air. This is what provides a drinking experience unique to each whiskey and glass pairing. Complex whiskey needs room to breathe in a glass. The aeration allows each individual flavor to manifest on the nose and palate.

In other words, drinking whiskey is a sensory experience. And the right glassware enhances that experience. 

You know how to enjoy your whiskey properly, right? But here is how to take it a step further with the basics you need to look for when choosing a glass for whiskey.

1. Glass Structure

The structure of a glass is one of the more important aspects you need to consider when picking your whiskey glass. For each glass, the rim, body, and stem each contribute to the overall drinking experience. More complex whiskeys, like Scotch, open up in glasses with bulbous bodies, which allow the whiskey to be swirled. Glasses with tighter rims allow for easier sniffing, as the constricted opening of the glass funnels aromas to your nose.

When it comes to glass structure, consider your purpose when drinking. Are you looking to unlock some of the more subtle flavors of the whiskey? Go for a glass with a cavernous body and swirl before drinking. Are you looking for an easy sipper? Try a wide rimmed, heavy bodied glass. Be intentional with what you want and the criteria for glass structure will follow.

2. Quality of Materials: Go for Glass

It is tempting to only focus on structure or aesthetics when looking for that perfect drinking vessel. But the materials also mean something. There is a difference between drinking whiskey out of a red Solo cup and an expertly crafted Glencairn: There are ways to not drink whiskey. When we say, “Grab a glass,” we mean glass. 

Why? Not only because it looks and feels better in the hand, but because of the way whiskey interacts with the chemicals of its container. Plastic has certain chemicals that are inevitably released into whiskey, subtly changing the flavor. Glass protects the integrity of the whiskey’s flavor, making it the preferred vessel for drinking.

3. A Short Note: Aesthetics

Here is where personal preference comes into play. Largely, the aesthetics of a type of whiskey glass – how it looks beyond the structure, what kind of embellishments it has, etc. – are up to personal taste. If you like the way a certain Glencairn looks or prefer the weight of a given tumbler, then choose that one over what someone else finds aesthetically pleasing.

Like what you like.

The Specifics: Types of Whiskey Glasses

Now that you know the basics, it’s time to get into the specifics: what the different types of whiskey glasses are, and which are best for which whiskey.

There are a wide variety of whiskey glasses, but we have narrowed the list down to the most important and most common for your drinking pleasure. Remember, each serves a purpose. So when you are looking for a specific glass on a specific night, think about your goal and choose the glass that best suits it.

1. Tumbler, Old Fashioned, or Rocks Glass

You’ll see this called a few things: a rocks glass, an Old Fashioned, a lowball, or a classic tumbler. If you have seen any classic movies featuring hard-drinking detective types (think Casablanca or Maltese Falcon) or watched period pieces about 1960s culture (think Mad Men), then you recognize this glass. With a wide rim and a thick body, this classic is perfect for whiskey on the rocks as well as whiskey cocktails.

For PrestigeHaus’s collection of tumblers, check out our shop here. 

2. The Glencairn

Once you know what a Glencairn is, you know you have passed the boundary line between casual whiskey drinker and serious whiskey drinker. The Glencairn is the standard whiskey glass for whiskey tasting. That’s because it is designed to allow the drinker to swirl, sniff, and sip whiskey in a way that enhances the appreciation of it. With a bulbous body, thin rim, and short stem, this glass is perfect for those high-quality whiskeys you want to savor.

Need that perfect Glencairn? Look no further, we have them here.

3. The Snifter

As the name implies, this glass is designed to enhance the nose of a whiskey. With a narrow rim and wide body, the aromas of the whiskey are trapped in the glass, allowing the drinker to take deep wafts of the whiskey before sipping. This glass is often what you see cognac and high-quality whiskeys in, as its shape guides the aromas to the nose and complexifies the palate.

Looking for the perfect snifter? Check these out.

4. The NEAT Whiskey Glass

Science meets aesthetics as this whiskey glass is specifically designed to provide the most aeration possible. It looks like a miniature fishbowl with its outwardly curved rim that directs vapors away from the nose. This allows the sometimes-harsh ethanol to evaporate into the air, thus allowing the more subtle flavors to be highlighted.

For more information about the NEAT Whiskey Glass and how it measures up against the Glencairn, check out this article.

There you have it: All the information you need to choose the right whiskey glass for the right whiskey. Pick up one or two that suit your drinking purposes, and enjoy.

Which glass is your favorite for whiskey? Let us know in the comments below.