glencairn-whisky-glass

Whisky tastings are highly entertaining and educational events, enjoyed with groups of friends and fellow whisky lovers. Varying themes can be accommodated such as Single Malts, Blended Whiskies, Islay Malts, Speyside Malts, Scotland Only, Bourbon, Rye – the list goes on with the possible variations of Whisky tastings. All whiskies taste differently due to several factors, the area of production, the grain, the distillation process, the time and the ageing method will all play a crucial part in the final nose, taste and appreciation of every whisky.

One thing is constant; the vessel required to transfer the wonderful liquid into the mouth to taste the fantastic whisky. The glasses used for centuries for drinking whisky have been varied, all designed in their way to enhance the nose and taste whisky.

The traditional ‘Old Fashioned’ cut crystal rocks glass was invented for Brandy and soda accompanied by ice. It has in recent years been superseded by a varying amount of distinctively shaped glasses designed to make the entire experience of nosing and tasting whisky much more pleasing and enjoyable.

Like Wine, there are many different Whisky glasses in existence, but our favourite, tried, and the test is the Glencairn Official Whisky Glass. It’s just 114mm high and holds 170ml; it’s a very effective nosing glass that fully enhances its aroma. The shape is also ideal for distributing the liquid into the correct part of the mouth for the perfect taste experience.

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An alternative glass to the award-winning Glencairn glass is their copita nosing glass; this is supplied to blending labs and whisky producers across Scotland, based on the traditional Sherry Copita. Unlike the Official Glencairn Whisky glass, which has a solid foot, the Copita features a short stem and tulip-shaped bowl.

Glencairn also has a few accessories to go alongside their award-winning whisky glass; the Whisky Flight Tasting Tray is an excellent example of maximising your whisky drinking experience. The flight trays are made from rubberwood (Chinese Oak) and have specially designed slots for the glasses to sit in the tray; they’re easy to serve, easy to store and even easier to clean! Firstly, there are two different options: first with 3 of the official Glencairn whisky glasses and alternatively with two glasses and a water jug.

Another handy accessory is the Glencairn whisky glass cap. This sits on top of the whisky glass and is designed to trap the whisky vapours; this gives greater concentrations of aroma when nosing the liquid, ideal for tastings.

Whether you’re just a fan of the occasional drop of whisky, or you’ve always fancied yourself as a bit of a whisky connoisseur, we recommend Glencairn!