A Field Guide To Whiskey Glasses

What Glass Makes a Difference And What Glass Can Stay Home

By Paul Angelidis

The humble tumbler
(Credit: Benjamin Thompson/Wikimedia Commons CC BY 3.0)

Whisky glasses come in a variety of shapes and sizes, each with specific purposes and advantages when you are drinking whisky. This is very similar to how wine glasses come in a variety of shapes and sizes, with each type working better for different kinds of wine. They can actually affect the smell and taste of the whisky, and therefore the overall experience when you drink it. Here is a quick guide to the types of whisky glasses and how they make a difference.

Whisky Tumbler
The whisky tumbler glass is the classic and the most common. The design is very simple, with the mouth of the glass more or less the same width as the body. For beginner whisky drinkers, it is the simplest glass to use to get started drinking whisky, so you can learn to start appreciating the tastes. You just pour in your whisky, maybe drop in some ice, and drink away (responsibly of course). If you’ve seen people in ads or movies drinking whisky with ice, it was more than likely in a tumbler glass.

NEAT Glass
The name for the NEAT glass is actually an acronym that stands for “Naturally Engineered Aroma Technology”. It was originally a design that came from an error by a glass blower who was trying to make something else. The shape seemed weird but somehow, someone eventually decided it reminded them of a more exaggerated shape of other whisky glasses—like the Glencairn glass—and tried it out. The shape and design was refined until it became perfectly engineered to push the harsher scents from the alcohol part of whisky away from the nose while leaving scents that are easier to appreciate.

This is another good type of glass for whisky beginners, as it lets you learn to really appreciate the good tastes and scents from whisky without the harsher ethanol. The unusual shape can make it more tricky to hold and drink from it though.

A set of dock glasses at a tasting
(Credit: Emma Briones)

Dock Glass
The dock glass is the first type of whisky glass that uses a different shape. It was based on the traditional Spanish glass to try sherry, and is commonly used for cognac, brandy, and single malt whisky. The shape is still pretty simple and is one of the more common types of glasses used by whisky enthusiasts. If you’re taking the next step from beginner, it’s a good place to start.

The flowing shape is designed to help you smell the whisky—the bottom is slightly wider and narrows near the top to help push the scent to the top, and it has a stem like a wine glass so your hand stays further away from your nose and doesn’t interfere with the scent.

Glencairn Glass
The Glencairn whisky glass uses the same principles as the dock glass, but is a bit more exaggerated. The bottom is a bit wider and it narrows more in the middle before flaring a bit at the rim, all of which helps further push the scents up to your nose. It has a much smaller stem and uses much thicker glass which, when combined with the rounder shape of the bottom, makes it perfectly suited to swirl your whisky as you drink it.

Norlan vs. Glencairn vs. Snifter
(Credit: Richard Thomas)

Where the dock glass is popular among aficionados not just for whisky but other similar liquor, the Glencairn glass is typically only used for enjoying a whisky—especially a single malt scotch.

Norlan Glass
The Norlan glass is a good middle ground between the tumbler and the Glencairn whisky glass. It uses a very thick layer of glass to form a less exaggerated flared shape on the outside, but the same rough shape of the Glencairn glass on the inside. It makes it easier to hold without sacrificing much in the way of swirling or appreciating the smell of whisky. The combination of the shape and the thick glass also makes it one of the nicest looking types of whisky glasses you’ll find.

Paul Agelidis has been the founder and owner of Revolucion, a Canadian cigar, tobacco and men’s gift shop in Vancouver, since 2005. For the last decade Paul has worked very hard to become an expert in tobacco products, men’s care, travel & accessories, body & bath, and gifts & home. Prior to 2005, from 1997 – 2005 Paul worked in the wholesale cigar industry and traveled to the annual cigar trade show (Habanos Festival every February). He loves to share his tips with others who are looking to achieve a complete lifestyle with the finer things in life.