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Humans make beer, about 5000 years ago.
The archaeologists have found the equipment used. And earthenware bowls are part of the kit.
Humans discover the joys of concentrating beer. The water of life. And it doesn’t spoil. Earthenware, wooden and possible metal bowls are employed to orderly transfer of the spirit from the still into the body.
Humans discover the joys of concentrating beer. The water of life. And it doesn’t spoil. Earthenware, wooden and possible metal bowls are employed to orderly transfer of the spirit from the still into the body.
This was around 3,500 years ago.
By the 1600’s in Europe, some humans became wealthy, most not. The poor buggers at the bottom end still used wooden and earthenware vessels for imbibing while the posh ones displayed their new found status by showing off their whisky in shallow bowls made of exotic wood, silver and pewter. They were called quaichs (quakes).
The quaich
And up until the mid-1800’s, this class divide became even more extensive as the hoi polloi discovered glass. Decorative, clear and light. It was also the advent of the weighty and ever enduring spirits container, the tumbler.
A perfect way to sniff and consume the water of life.
At the other end, it is the era of the pewter tankard.
A fellow by the name of James Watt, perfected mechanical power by means of steam. The industrial revolution began. And with it, vast quantities of manufactured glass were produced for the masses. The tumbler especially, for brandy, whisky, table and fortified wine for consumption by both the gentry as well as the middle and lower classes.
But out of all the designs glass manufactures came up with, for whisky drinker, the tumbler reigned supreme. Plus, it had a very important added advantage, especially in the warmer climates.
You could put ice and soda in it.
The glass tumbler has persisted, in many guises, to this day.
However, in the early 1900’s we start to see innovation appear in whisky glass making, especially the introduction of a stem and a tulip or bulb shape bowl, influenced by development in wine glasses. We were now beginning to understand how smells and flavours work in different shaped drinking vessels.
Take a look at this replica spirits tasting glass from the 1920’s.
The glass is clear, so you can see the spirit, you had a stem so your mucky fingers wouldn’t soil the bowl and the closed rim, just concentrates the aromas. Warts and all!
But the tumbler persisted.
Right into the early 1980’s. Blended whisky was king, it was generally served mixed or on ice. The tumbler was still perfect.
However, by the late 1980’s, change was a-happening. Single malts were beginning to rise out of the ashes of the great “whisky loch” saga and a younger generation became enthralled in table wines. Instead of showing a malt in a tumbler, distillers started showing their malts in wine glasses.
And the most famous of these, especially in Australia, and still used to this day, is the ubiquitous XL5. Cheap, functional, slightly closed rim, clear and sturdy. Wine shows, wine schools, bars, restaurants and at home, the XL5 dominated.
From that point on, especially from the mid 1990’s, it was then on for young and old.
That supreme maker of classy wine glasses, Riedel, came out with a specially designed whisky glass, and then Glencairn introduced their own specialist whisky taster.
And with a clever bit of marketing, convinced both the trade and the consumer that this was THE standard whisky glass to have.
The Reidel
The Glencairn
Today, the world abounds with specialist whisky glassware.
Take a look at Denver & Liely and the challenging Arsilica Neat glasses (say goodbye to nasal burn) along with the Norlan double-walled glass.
The Denver & Liely
The Arsilica Neat
The Norlan double-walled
So finally, it’s really up to you and your preferences. But just remember that with any spirits glass, a clear view of the spirit is vital, you need to be able smell the aromas and the glass must deliver the spirit cleanly into the mouth.
I hate dribbling Scotch down my chin.
And my favourite glass? This humble jam jar…
So if this article has you sold on a whisky glass, take a look at our selection here!
