Wine buffs constantly harp on about getting the right glassware for a particular vintage, but sprits like whisky tend to be chucked in any old thing. Brandy does have its own particular glassware of course.Brandy snifters are designed specifically to allow for cupping the bowl in your hand to quickly warm the drink up.That way you can coax out more of the aroma: as important as taste in the enjoyment of a good brandy.Whisky on the other hand seems to be served in anything from tumblers to shot glasses.
Strictly speaking, there is no prescriptive rule about how whisky can be best drunk. However, a good whisky is like a great wine and there are certain tasting techniques and whisky glasses that can considerably enhance the pleasure of a “wee dram”.Always use a proper whiskey glass with a wide opening and a thick bottom. And of course, never put ice in a whisky as that will kill all the fragrances which are the spirit of any single malt.
The same is true with brandy. Since brandy is ultimately a derivative of wine, it should be enjoyed like a good wine and choosing the right brandy glasses will contribute to that enjoyment.While a brandy snifter works best, any glass with a narrow rim and a broad base would do at a pinch. The shape of the glass will help the brandy to breathe, opening up its flavours.Like any malt whisky, never put ice in a decent brandy.
Champagne is best served in a tall slender tulip glass. The visual spectacle of the bubbles, which after all is what differentiates a sparkling wine from a still wine, is enhanced by the height of the glass.The once popular shorter version of the Champagne glass (a design reputed to be based on Marie Antoinette’s ample bosom) is too likely to spill.This shape doesn’t present the bubbles to best effect or prolong the chill as well as tall champagne glasses will.
We all associate bubbles with champagne yet when it was first created the bubbles were actually a mistake. Over time the sparkling wine started to grow in popularity and was soon declared a favourite of the noble and wealthy especially in the French courts of the 16th century. Today champagne is commonly associated with celebration and affluence and has its own set of rituals and customs to ensure it is enjoyed at its best.
The champagne flute is the more preferred vessel to consume the drink from today rather than the traditional coupe. The champagne flute is designed especially to ensure the champagne is enjoyed at its best and holds the same air of opulence as the drink itself. The long stem of the flute serves the same purpose as the traditional wine glass. It allows the consumer to hold their glass without transferring their body heat to the drink. The design of the flute also ensures as little of the liquid as possible is exposed to the air to help the drink maintain its trademark bubbles. Because it’s often drunk at parties the slim design means more glasses can fit onto a serving tray. Rumoured to be modelled on the shape of Marie Antoinette’s breast, the more traditional champagne coupe is normally used to create a champagne fountain. Although glass is the cheaper option, crystal glasses have a rougher texture and therefore provide more bubbles. Although champagne should always be served chilled, the champagne glasses should never be chilled before use.
Champagne is normally consumed on special occasions or for celebrations so is always best enjoyed however the celebrator chooses. The primary directive of the champagne flute design is to keep your champagne sparkling and bubbly. Although only sparkling wine produced in the Champagne region of France may call itself champagne, most sparkling wines will offer the same sparkle and air of opulence.