Watch any old movie, and when the protagonist orders a bourbon—neat, over ice, doesn’t matter—the odds are good it will arrive in a plain old rocks glass, the same kind of glass you might use for an old-fashioned cocktail, a whiskey and soda, or even a morning glass of orange juice.
Those days seem to be over. The number of different whiskey glasses has been undergoing a startling proliferation, with novel shapes and sizes for every slice of the whiskey universe. There are now a host of new glass shapes claiming to maximize your drinking pleasure no matter what your whiskey of choice, as well as specialized glassware for bourbon and other whiskey categories. Here’s a rundown of your options for bourbon glassware:
The Shot Glass
The Shot GlassAlmost everybody in the world has been served a brimming pour of whiskey in one of these tiny dive bar classics. There’s something satisfying (or at least collegiate) about downing a full glass of whiskey in a single go—even if that glass only holds one ounce—but it’s definitely not the best way to appreciate the subtleties of a great bourbon.
Pouring all the way to the top leaves precious little space for aromas to occupy, and the down-the-hatch drinking style shot glasses encourage isn’t exactly how we recommend experiencing whiskey. Still, if you’re about to hit the dance floor at a Nashville country bar, we understand.
The Tumbler
Tumblers come in all shapes and sizes, but for our purposes, we’ll define a tumbler as a more or less straight-sided glass that’s no taller than it is wide. Tumblers can make a satisfying vessel for whiskey, but their straight sides can make nosing less satisfying than a curved-wall glass, which encourage aromas to rise and then congregate near the opening.
However, if you like your whiskey on ice, tumblers are great – fitting a few cubes in is no problem, and many can comfortably accommodate a large cube. And, some offer fun design aspects, like cut crystal sides or the logos of your favorite whiskey brands. They’re also excellent for cocktails, so it’s good to have some on hand.
The Glencairn
Ubiquitous in whiskey bars and tasting rooms, the Glencairn has become the de facto high-end whiskey glass. Originally designed for single malt Scotch and modeled after the copita, a sherry glass also used for nosing, the Glencairn was first introduced in 2001. Its wide bowl and relatively narrow, straight mouth concentrate whiskey aromas, and the hefty foot lets you handle the glass without warming its contents through the thin wall.
Glencairns can be excellent choices for bourbon as well as Scotch, but keep in mind that they tend to concentrate alcohol as well as aroma. I find that high-proof bourbons can come across as excessively vaporous in a Glencairn.Â
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The Tulip
Tulip glasses also come in a wide range of shapes and sizes, from tall, dramatic grappa flutes, to the somewhat more zaftig bourbon glass recently released by Libby, to the short-and-squat NEAT glass. They all share some common characteristics: a curved lower bowl, a narrowing near the top, and a flared-out rim.
I find that tulips, rather than the straighter-at-the-top Glencairns, are my vessel of choice for bourbon, as they allow the more solvent-like alcohol vapors to dissipate while still concentrating aromas. However, if you’re in possession of a more dignified (read: larger than average) nose, make sure your glasses fit you.
 Ultimately, of course, the best glass for bourbon is the one that gives you the most satisfaction. If you already know you love one particular style of glass, that’s terrific. If you’re still searching for your perfect match, try a few different styles to see what works for you, keeping in mind that different bourbons might show best in different kinds of glassware. Fortunately, we’re betting this particular research period won’t be an excessively painful one.
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