As the saying goes: good wine needs to be tasted slowly.
But in any kind of wine, the taste is not only the wine itself, but also the appreciation of the wine glass. For whisky lovers, a glass of good whisky without a corresponding cup pairing can be described as a sorry taste of fine wine. Whisky glasses enhance the tasting experience while giving the viewer a more direct view of the whisky's gold-like luster.
Many people also have a question when tasting wine: Why can't I drink the flavors of vanilla, sea breeze, cream, oak barrels that others say? In fact, as long as you choose the right smelling cup, everyone can become a whisky tasting expert!
If you want to get into the big pit of whiskey, then we have to start with this wine glass.
NO·1 How to choose a whiskey glass?
Whisky tasting is nothing more than pure drinking, room temperature, no ice, and deciding whether to drop a few drops of water or not to release the aroma, depending on the situation... The whisky cup used for tasting is usually not too large, and despite the variety of shapes, it seems to be nothing more than a combination of "closed mouth or wide mouth", "big belly or small belly", "cup along the extension or cup along the straight mouth".
Closing /wide mouth: Affects the degree of convergence of whisky aroma, it is difficult to gather aroma in cups without adduction, it is not convenient to feel the complex aroma of whisky, but it also reduces the irritating taste of alcohol and peat.
Small Belly Cup/Big Belly Cup: Determines how quickly you decant the wine. In general, simple variations of whiskies (no vintage or low vintage) are suitable for small-to-belly wine glasses when pure drinking, and complex, alcohol-heavy whiskies are suitable for large-bellied wine glasses.
Cup extension / cup along straight mouth: Affects our perception of sweetness, usually the extended edge of the cup will make us feel that the taste of wine is sweeter.
NO.2 Glencairn Cup
The Glencairn Smell Cup is a favorite of many Scotch whisky enthusiasts. Shaped like a very whiskey pot distiller, the slightly wide belly of the cup can accommodate a sufficient amount of whiskey, and the aroma is condensed in the belly of the cup, and then released from the mouth of the glass, suitable for all kinds of whiskies or spirits, and it is also very convenient to carry. In addition, it is also the designated wine glass for many whisky professional competitions.
Compared with the traditional tasting cup type, the Kane cup is more prominent in the subtle experience of the balance of the drink, from beginners to professional connoisseurs can easily enjoy the charming aroma of the glass, so that a group of tasting masters praise and the cup is not separated. World-renowned whisky author Charles MacLean describes it as "elegant and taste-friendly, and strong enough to be the ideal wine glass for enjoying and enjoying whisky." ”
Applicable occasions: tasting activities, smelling pure drinks, designated events, traveling, household, gift-giving.
Recommended wine: Imagine eating seafood, using the Glencairn Cup to ride a cup of Tekka for 18 years, a mouthful into the throat, not only can lift the aftertaste of seafood, but also with a sea breeze and rich tropical fruits to wash the mouth again, feel the strong pepper flavor of the Tekka distillery itself, as if in the Maldives.
NO.3 Tulip cup
The tulip cup is also a well-known professional smelling cup. The tulip-like upward tightening of the mouth of the cup makes the aroma more concentrated, and the slim base extends an elegant grip, which can not only prevent the hand temperature from affecting the body but also avoid other odors on the hands, because it is too close to the nose when taking it and destroying the aroma. But Scots generally hold the cup in the palm of their hand when drinking, giving the whisky a little palm temperature and letting it give you more flavor. The advantage of this cup is that the aroma condensation effect is good, and the smell can fully display the beautiful aroma of whisky. If you love goblets, I highly recommend replacing tulip glasses as your whiskey glass!
Applicable occasions: Suitable for all kinds of professional occasions, especially suitable for the use of strong whisky, such as single malt whisky tasting.
Recommended wine: A quarter barrel of Laforgue has a gentle peat aroma, perfect for savoring its beauty with a tulip cup. A quarter-barrel of laforger's ripe whisky was recommended by whisky blogger Sketch Trooper. Speaking about the whisky, Scotch Trooper said: "It's a rich smoky and sweet smell that will definitely catch your attention, and this whisky will satisfy you as you expect." ”
NO.4 Classical cup
Classical cups, also known as old-fashioned cups and rock cups, are the glasses used by the British to drink whiskey. The official name is "Old-fashioned glass", which is often called "ice drinking cup" in the United States and Japan, and has a capacity of 180ml to 300ml. If you drink whiskey with ice and put in a large ice duel polished into a ball shape, you can directly choose this classical cup, the cup mouth is large, and the first choice for placing ice cubes.
Applicable occasions: Whisky with ice
Recommended wine: Classic wine glasses, which best match classic whiskies. Bomo's ability to spread widely is definitely its superiority. Pomo 18 years after the barrel aging emitted the aroma of tropical fruit, the original wine smells of peat, but after the first bet of the sherry barrel aging, the fruit aroma burst out instantly, as if to drag people from the cold British island to the warm Caribbean.
NO.5 One sip of a cup
A sip of the cup, as its name suggests, is suitable for: drink quickly. For some drinkers, they prefer to go to the bar rather than slowly taste at home, and what is needed is a rapid intake of alcohol, not a "peat gradient" or a "spread of oak aroma", so a sip of the glass is perfect.
Applicable occasions: high-quality spirits for the exclusive, or home, party, more warm, casual.
Recommended wine: For a quick finish to a whisky at a party, try this cost-effective ration , Corneliki's 14 Years coastal highlands. More island-like than other Scottish native island whiskies, the wine is not heavy but quite delicious and easy to drink, and master Charles McLean praised it as a majestic whisky, with a smooth taste and long tail that benefited from 14 years of ripening, and won the gold medal in the International Spirits and Wine Competition in 2005.
NO.6 Golf Cup
When you want to add soda or lemon juice to your whisky to add flavor, the limited capacity of the classical cup is not enough, and the high ball cup is the best choice, which naturally got its name from Japan's national cocktail "highball", which is also the savior of Japanese whisky - almost all Japanese restaurants will serve this refreshing cocktail. The thin cup body and high capacity allow for more mixed drinks and ice cubes without cumbersomeness. Of course, the use of good and inexpensive whisky is its best partner.
Where it applies: Whisky-concocted cocktails or whiskey sodas.
Recommended wine: If you want to make a "highball", try three monkeys blending pure wheat whiskey. Under the supervision of Brian Kinsman, a proud protégé of legendary Chief Bartender David Stewart, the original bourbon barrels of whiskey blended from three single pure wheat distilleries are transferred to large fusion barrels and matured for three months, resulting in a smooth and rich taste accompanied by a soft vanilla aroma. It also won the SFWSC Double Gold Medal at last year's San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and is the only pure wheat whisky today to receive this prestigious award!
NO·7 ISO International Standard Cup
The ISO standard cup is a kind of wine glass designed by the International Organization for Standardization and is considered to be a standard special wine glass. The size of the ISO cup has strict regulations, including the height of the cup foot is 155mm, the diameter of the widest part of the cup body is 65mm, the diameter of the cup mouth is 46mm, and the wine is poured into the widest part of the abdomen of the cup body, just about 50ml. The ISO standard cup is suitable for tasting all types of foreign wines. ISO wine glasses don't highlight any of the whisky's features, but rather give a straightforward look at the original flavor of the whisky. Therefore, rather than enjoying a wine, iso tasting glasses are more suitable for evaluating a wine, and at the same time more fair and just. It is precisely because of this that tasters can often more easily identify their strengths and weaknesses.
Applicable occasions: Professional blind whisky events or events
Recommended wine: As a wine tasting veteran, use a professional wine glass, of course, to accompany the classic whiskey. McAllen is a favourite among many whisky lovers and a favorite of the world's top collectors. McAllen's 18-year-old Sherry Barrel Whisky is one of mcallen's most acclaimed works since its founding, mainly aged in carefully selected Jerez (Jerez) sherry oak barrels, with a rich and plump high-end area color and the unique sweetness of the Spèsse River Valley winery.