11 Best Whisky Glasses

You are not a true whiskey connoisseur until you own your own set of traditional Glencairn-style glasses. The glass sits comfortably in hand with a tapered pedestal sham. Sometimes, all you need to elevate your drinking experience is a subtle design element — like the little blue orb found at the base of the Orrefors Intermezzo Double Old Fashioned Glass. Of course, that’s hardly the only thing this tumbler has going for it.

As a fan of good nosing glasses and good tumblers, this seems like the perfect mix of both of them. Outturned lips and enough room for ice cubes – well, in my case, whiskey rocks aka stones . Nachtmann makes usually crystal glasses with luxury design, the crystal is carved to make it look more glamorous. I myself like their simplified design with Vivendi whiskey tumblers. Those are thick whiskey tumblers made with the traditional mold, but with rounded edges which might improve getting the aromas. I can imagine this tumbler being almost as good as the Canadian mixer, but not quite there, when trying to capture the aromas the best way possible.

A beveled base rests securely on a cocktail napkin or coaster without sticking. With its wide opening, it can comfortably handle large ice cubes. Ice and mixes take up precious volume in a glass, taking away from the most critical element—the whiskey. With a capacity of 9 ounces, this tumbler-style glass from Riedel can handle large ice cubes without crowding out the spirits.

It features an attractive geometric shape, which adds dazzling light refraction to your mixed drinks. Think of this whiskey glass as the Megazord (yes, that’s a Power Rangers reference) of the whiskey glass world. First, it is double-insulated, allowing your whiskey to stay chilled for a long, long time. Second, the bell-shaped inner portion is similar to a Glencairn and helps when nosing and tasting your whiskey.

In fact, designed by Erika Lagerbielke in 1985, this is one of the best-selling whiskey glasses of all time with over ten million glasses sold in this collection worldwide. And that kind of popularity doesn’t happen by accident, especially when you know that japanese whiskey glasses it’s crafted from ultra-high-quality crystal made using traditional methods. As we’ve mentioned, a bit part of sipping whiskey is the visual experience. Glencairn whisky glass is a nosing glass best of its kind – and they are not expensive whiskey glasses.

I got it from a tax free shop many years ago, on a ferry from Turku to Stockholm. It came in Grant’s Family Reserve Blended Whisky package, a branded whisky tumbler with Grant’s logo on it. The design was triangular, so with only three edges instead of the traditional four, I think that this whiskey tumbler captures more of the aromas. Didn’t realize it back then, I was just happy to get a thick whisky glass with a whisky brand logo in it. They are shaped the same way as Glencairn’s original whisky glasses and give away the aromas as effectively.

The wide bowl allows much room for whiskey and the base is designed easy to hold. Larger than the original Glencairn nosing glass, but with similar shape. Looks perfect to me, I can imagine appreciating cheaper whiskies much more with this glass. Like stated before, Glencairn Canadian mixer has plenty of room to add ice or whisky stones if that’s your “cup of tea”. It is funny how champagne, brandy or wine, each have their own glasses designed just for the drink in question.

Some are aesthetically pleasing, some are designed based on the science behind the spirit — giving you the best experience, and some are a little of both. We’ll get into how to choose the perfect glass for your specific needs a little later. But first, let’s go over some of the best whiskey glasses we found out there. Glencairn glasses cater to seasoned whiskey drinkers who want to really enjoy the taste of their spirit. This style of glassware was the first to be endorsed by the Scotch Whisky Association and is a popular choice for those who don’t enjoy stemmed glasses. The Glencairn is a robust glass that’s suited to appreciation as well as functionality and should be used when drinking single malt whisky.

But for capturing the aromas of whisky, below are some different whiskey glass options. These beautiful, large 6.5-inch-tall snifters are a perfect option for sipping high-end whiskeys and brandy or cognac. The round shape maximizes aromatics, allowing you to get the fullest taste from your spirits. With lead-free crystal, you won’t have to worry about dangerous chemicals leaching into your drinks. Its large 25.5-ounce size holds several shots of whiskey without throwing off the balance of the glass. These Farielyn crystal whiskey glasses don’t have any high-tech features that enhance the flavor.


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