NFW: Taste — What is the best glass for tasting a good whisky?

Let’s dispel a myth right away. The classic tumbler that you see in all American films, that big square or round glass from which all the stars of the 1950s tasted their whisky, is suitable for holding ice yes, and therefore for an American-style drink, but it is certainly not suitable for tasting, it is too big and not able to facilitate the concentration of aromas.

So what shape is the most suitable glass?

First of all, the glass must be glass or crystal, transparent, thin, perfectly dry and clean. A colourless, unmarked glass would be preferable, in order to better appreciate all the colour nuances that whisky offers. Precisely for this reason, glasses for professional tasters are made of ‘semi-crystal’, a glass containing 9% lead, as opposed to the 24% contained in pure crystal, which tends to take on a dark, smoky hue that disturbs colour analysis. It is evident how the quality of the glass is decisive for visual analysis. Whisky is almost never dark in tone, with the exception of some whiskies matured for many years in ex-sherry casks of first fill, but the glass must nevertheless be round and transparent in order to be able to be tilted and offer the nail, the part furthest from the observer, where the thickness is less and it is possible to note the nuances of the colour, and the horseshoe, the area closest to the stem and the observer, where the thickness of the whisky is greater and it is possible to analyse the transparency, and the presence or absence of dust in suspension.

The glass is then fundamental for the analysis of aromas. A very important characteristic is the presence of the stem, which can be longer or shorter. Its function is to distance the nose from the taster’s hand, a hand that is the bearer of odours and scents that can disturb the olfactory analysis. In addition, the hand is about 37 degrees and, if used in contact with the goblet, causes excessive heating of the whisky, excessive evaporation of the alcohol and thus a general disturbance of the tasting. So remember to always hold the glass at the base of the stem and not by the goblet!

For olfactory analysis, the ability of the glass to convey aromas to the taster’s nose is important. This is why glasses are generally shaped like an elongated egg or tulip, with the top opening narrower than the body, so as to facilitate a larger contact surface with the air and the concentration of aromas in a suitable area for the nose.

Let us close with a couple of suggestions. First, get used to always using a glass with the same shape; uniformity of tasting can only lead to better uniformity of judgement. And then, wash the glass with hot water only; detergents and dishwasher rinse aid always leave residues on the glass that can affect subsequent tastings.

So, well… Slainte!