Which Glass Should I Use For Whisky?

Part of tasting any liquor involves choosing the right glass. Wine glasses, for instance, have wide midsections to allow drinkers to swirl drinks and generate aroma. Likewise, champagne flutes are tall, allowing bubbles to grow.

The same is true of whisky. To get the best experience, you want to choose the right glass. However, this can vary greatly depending on the type of whisky you are drinking, and your purpose for drinking it. Here’s a summary of what good whisky blogs recommend:

Rocks Glasses

If you’re casually drinking whisky, you’ll want to choose a “rocks glass” or old-fashioned tumbler. These typically have 7 to 12 ounce capacity and are either for whiskey served neat or on with ice (on the rocks). They feature a heavy, solid base, wide opening at the top, and offer a high sip volume.

If you’re tasting whiskey, however, it is better to opt for whiskey tasting or snifter glass. Like wine glasses, these have wide midsections and a narrower opening at the top to allow you to swirl the drink. Whiskey retailers serve products in these glasses to direct the aroma towards the nostrils, allowing you to pick up more of the drink’s subtle notes. Sip volumes are low to reduce the amount of liquid dispensed.

Glencairn Whiskey Glasses

Finally, Glencairn whiskey glasses were the first style of glass officially endorsed by the Scotch Whiskey Association. They look a bit like tasting glasses, having a wide bottom for swirling. However, the top is taller and not as narrow. Generally, bars serve scotch, single malt whiskeys and single barrel bourbon in Glencairn glasses without ice.