Which glass should I use to taste a spirit drink?

Tasting of straight spirits: the tulip glass

The simplest way to taste a spirit is to drink it neat, without dilution with other ingredients nor ice. We are looking for a glass that allows the full aromatic potential of the product to be expressed. The aromas must be channeled through the glass to be detected by your nose.

To do this, the so-called "tulip" shape is the most suitable. The glass will be filled only in its lower half, so that the aromas can be concentrated by the narrowing located just above (forming the tulip), before being delivered to your nose as if through a chimney. Depending on the intensity of the spirit and its alcoholic proof, the nose will be positioned more or less far away from the glass.

The classic glasses in Scotch whisky distilleries have the same tulip shape. They are also very pleasant and suitable for tasting straight spirits. However, the lack of a stem means that they have to be held at their base, which can heat up the contents of the glass through the temperature of the hands. This is not a problem in a country like Scotland, it is even certainly intentional!

The tulip glass, which allows you to take full advantage of the aromas that a spirit can offer, can be used for tasting all types of straight spirits: whisky, rum, cognac, armagnac, tequila, mescal, calvados, grappa...

Tasting spirits on the rocks or short cocktails: the Old Fashioned

A classic among classics, the one that hangs out in the movies next to the whisky decanter. Efficient and allowing a larger volume than the tulip glass, it is not too wide and allows a good tasting. A glass that is too wide would cause the aromas to escape to the sides without being captured by your nose. Just as the Champagne cup is a heresy: it simply perfumes the ambient air!

This glass is used in the eponymous cocktail, the vieux carré, the negroni and other classical rather short cocktails. Its volume also allows it to hold a spirit cooled by ice cubes.

The Old Fashioned glass can be used to sip a spirit on the rocks or for all short cocktails (no one will be behind your back to check that you used the sacrosanct conical glass to make a dry martini: it works perfectly well in an Old Fashioned too!)

Long drinks: the tumbler/high ball

When it comes to lengthening a drink, you need a certain volume available. But you must not lose sight of the notion of a "chimney" that leads the aromas to your nose. The tumbler or high ball glass meets these two conditions and is perfect for all long drinks: Collins, cognac or gin and tonic, whisky or rum and coke, vodka-red bull, pastis...

Here too, the sacrosanct mojito is normally served in its classic glass. First of all, you can forget about this largely outdated cocktail. And even if you want one, serve it in a tumbler, it works perfectly!

The tumbler is perfect for all your long drinks!

Voilà! With only 3 types of glasses you can now serve any drink at any occasion!

3 types of glass to banish

The pint: too wide and too big, to be used for beer only

The cup: too wide, the aromas are lost in the air

The wine glass: it is often tempting to use it (and can be if you do not have a tulip glass), but ideally it should be reserved for wine, as its name indicates. It is indeed generally too wide and does not have the narrowing that allows the concentration of aromatic vapors. This narrowing is however dear to the INAO glass which should be your personal favorite when it comes to wine tasting. But that is a different story!

And to keep things a little exotic and varied, here are 4 glasses you can keep on hand

The flute: elegant, for a gin and tonic served short, and of course for a mimosa during brunches

The shooter: sometimes useful at the end of the parties, although often dangerous!

The copper mug: still very stylish, for a perfect moscow mule or mint julep

The tiki mug: to bring color and Caribbean atmosphere to your rum cocktails!

Cheers!

Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health, consume in moderation.