Bourbon glasses

[Oregone]

A few years ago, boubon glasses were common as dirt on E-Bay. I don't know if there's just a current drought, or whether the supply has dried up, but when I checked today, I found very few. I have a number of glasses and shot glasses that are branded with Old Charter, Old Fitzgerald and Michter's and picked them up cheap two or three years ago.

I guess I better be careful with them.

[bunghole]

Dave those Reidel O series do look quite attractive for bourbon. The inward slope of the body would really focus the nose. For only eighteen smackers a pair what's not to like? The Pinot has the closest shape to the pure glass. Very nice. Thanks.

imalikey!

[tlsmothers]

Hmmm...I had the pleasure of visiting La Maison a few years back and I guess we drank out of those glasses there, but I don't remember. I was too busy drinking to remember the glassware. They are pretty seeing the pics here.

I use Riedel bourbon glasses pretty exclusively. Ravenscroft I like for wine cuz they are cheaper than Riedel but they only make a Scotch glass. The Riedel glass for me tones down the alcohol in the nosing and I haven't broken one yet despite the thin crystal. I like the feel of the thin crystal as I'm sipping, but I do agree with TNbourbon that this ain't the glass for large pours or for rocks drinkin'

[bunghole]

OK here are my opinions on some speciality whiskey glassware. From left to right:

1) Reidel Bourbon Glass - Eh, it's a glass. I bought the four pack from Knob Creek and gave the other three away. It's better than no glass at all. I never use this one for anything.

2) Scottish Crystal Malt Blenders Glass - This is a serious nosing tool. Extreamly thin and very fragile it super focus' the nose. Powerful magnification of aroma. Fill it full of George T. Stagg and watch your nose burst into flames! Bourbon is so strong that dilution is needed to avoid singeing of the nose. Whenever I notice a mysterious little something in the nose I can't finger this is the glass I go to. Lousy drinker. Expensive - $30.

3) Scottish Crystal Whisky Snifter - A perfect all around whisky glass. Excellent focus of the nose, and good drinker. The short stout stem and base makes for excellent swirlling action. They were only $30 for a set of four from the now defunct PubGear.Com I've searched but can't find them anywhere. Pity.

4) Glencarin Blenders Malt Glass - Affordable and readily available. Good focus of the nose, but not as good a drinker as it should be. Fair swirlling action. Solid glass pedestal is a good design feature. $25 a pair.

5) The Pure Glass - My hands down favorite whiskey glass. Fine French Crystal and pot still shape provides excellent focus of the nose; great swirlling action, and the glass is heavier at the bottom and thins out at the top. Rimless design is very thin at the lip and spreads the whiskey evenly across the tongue and palate. Drinks better than any snifter and noses almost as well as a pure nosing glass. An award winning design that resides in the Museum of Modern Technology. Damned hard to procure outside of Europe, and freakin' expensive!

6) Tot Glass - A simple mini-tumbler in this case from the Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskey History - $3.50. Easy neat drinker that does nothing for the nose, but small enough to shove right up to your nostrils to get a snootful. Cheap and effective it's better than your average shotglass.

[Brewer]

Linn,

Those glasses look nice, but even better, the goodies inside! Need any help quaffing those down?

[bunghole]

Linn,

Those glasses look nice, but even better, the goodies inside! Need any help quaffing those down?

Bob,

Luckily it's Sunday and those six itty bitty pours will do just fine!

Good thing I quit drinkin' heavy, or that bottle of Rock Hill Farms would also be toast!

Come on down and pick up Bourbon Enthusiast folks along the way.

I like the morinng sun streaming through the window as it serves to fire up the bourbon and make it glow. The thin white curtian is washed out / overexposed, but so what?

Linn -

[Mark]

That's one nice picture Linn, and great thoughts on each glass. I kinda like the Riedel Bourbon glasses more than your regular everyday snifter but each glass has its own benefits and drawbacks. You picked a damn good bottle for the pic too, Rock Hill is an excellent product from Buffalo Trace; But then again there isn't much they make that is not good!

[bunghole]

That's one nice picture Linn, and great thoughts on each glass. I kinda like the Riedel Bourbon glasses more than your regular everyday snifter but each glass has its own benefits and drawbacks. You picked a damn good bottle for the pic too, Rock Hill is an excellent product from Buffalo Trace; But then again there isn't much they make that is not good!

OH YEAH! Mark! The bottom of the Rock Hill Farms just glows as if it were alive! Photos are light sculptures. You have to use what light you have to your best advantage. I'm just learning, but light is LIFE!

As far as glasses go - I am spoiled by the very best. The Reidel is just a wine glass on short stem. Nothing special to me, but if that's the best glass you've got - then go with it! Nothing wrong with that. We all do the best we can with what we've got.

I think a group buy of the Pure Glass is in order for you unfortunate souls that haven't yet had the pleasure of nosing or drinking from the very best glass ever designed by man. Perfection in glass. Accept no substitutes!

ima

[bunghole]

Just wanted to bump this old thread up as some folks were talking about glassware.

[delaware_phoenix]

No Dave, I ment just what I said. I abhor scotch, and anything to do with it

I knew there was a reason I liked you.

But nonetheless, I was poking around and liked this glassware discussion. I found the following site www.beveragefactory.com, which carries some of the glassware mentioned. I was wondering about these (though they're kind of out of my price range)

http://www.beveragefactory.com/wine/ste ... ndex.shtml

There's a place called replacements.com that has a Schott-Zwiesel pure whiskey glass (probably not the same as it's only $9.99)

http://www.replacements.com/webquote/SC ... e&3618212&

Gracious Home has one for $14. Once again, it may be a similar shape, but not really made the same way.
http://www.gracioushome.com/webapp/wcs/ ... 89_-1___GS

[p_elliott]

I got about three quarter of the way though ordering the pure glasses and faking my way through French and then I got stopped. They have to sell the real thing some where in the USA, The others posted on here are close but not quite it.

[urotsukidoji]

I have used the Riedel bourbon glasses... no good IMO.

The Glencairn is great, but not if you like to drink on "the rocks". For that I use "Glencairn Official Canadian Whisky Glass".... good weight etc.

I would love to get my hands on the Pure Glass, but way to expensive.....

[bunghole]

Good to see new people nosing this old thread. The need for good glasswear cannot be overstated.

Linn

[stiles]

I guess I'm just re-purposing what I have but my Waterford white wine glasses works well for bourbon IMO. When drinking neat or with a cube I only fill to the bulge if that. The shape is pretty good for sniffing the head too. It's funny it looks very much like your drinking a peachy Riesling, someone could be in for a surprise if they assume too much!

[silverfish]

On a somewhat related note, DrinkHacker attended a
"Glass Tasting” with Maximilian Riedel. They mainly discuss
wine glasses but readers of this thread might enjoy the piece.