Whiskey Gift Guide: Whiskey Glassware

With Thanksgiving behind us, the more consumer-oriented winter holidays are just around the corner. If you don’t want to break the bank on a bottle of Pappy, don’t fret! There are plenty of other booze-related gifts for the whiskey lover in your life. A set of decent glasses, in particular, is a crucial part of every home bar.

Here are a few of our favorites when it comes to classy, fun, and quirky whiskey glassware:

If you’re a serious whiskey drinker, you probably already know that the gold standard in whiskey glassware is the Glencairn glass. Its distinctive s-curved profile isn’t just stylish; it’s designed to focus aromas toward the drinker’s nose, while also letting harsh ethanol vapor dissipate. The solid base gives you something to hold onto so you don’t warm the whiskey up with your hand.

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The NEAT glass, which looks sort of like a squished-down Glencairn, is an option for folks who like their whiskey with a dash of science. The concept is similar, but with two important differences. The first is the extra-wide rim, which supposedly channels even more of that hot alcohol burn away from your nose. The other important feature is the wide, squat bowl, which gives the whiskey in the glass a bigger surface area, encouraging evaporation and amplifying aromas.

If you’d prefer something a little less highbrow and a little more, um, American, you might be interested in a so-called “Bulletproof” glass. Each of these handmade rocks and shot glasses comes with a real (lead-free) bullet stuck in the side. You can even choose between .308 and .45 ACP!

For the cocktail drinker on your list, a set of tilting rocks glasses makes a nice conversation starter. Pair with an ice mold for the ideal way to cool your drink.

And if you’re looking for something that’s as much design piece as functional glassware, check out these Matterhorn glasses, made with a miniature replica of the famous Swiss peak at the bottom. The mountain also supposedly helps open whiskey up as you swirl around it.