Which glass?

Boy, did I miss this discussion. I know I'm late but I'm always looking for a new (maybe better) glass. My two favorites at this point is the Glencairn and the Scotch Doc Tasting Glasses. I personally prefer the Scotch Doc Tasting Glasses a bit over the Glencairn. I've never heard of the NEAT glass but I will have to give it a try at some point. Very interesting to read the reviews of those of you lucky enough to get the free ones!

Just posted a review of Cragganmore 12 based on my tasting experiment from Friday night (NEAT Challenge - Part II). Full technical details of the evening (the quibbles and such) will be posted on my blog later tonight!

@PeatyZealot I meant a Copita glass

@Arsilicat - the final evaluation is posted here: dan-the-tax-man.livejournal.com/57202.html

@YakLord Read your glass review with great interest as well as the Cragganmore 12 review. First, I would like to commend you on your objectivity and fairness. Reviews with a prurient interest to discredit are never fun to read from any standpoint. You and Jeff appear to have nailed it. I see that you are indeed looking for the "rest of the story" after the scent of alcohol, and your nose can clearly separate and identify the differences. That is all we want to be: another choice for those who want more from their whisky than the reminder that it's an alcohol drink. I appreciate that you will be using it again as a complement to your favorite glass. I would like to discuss some other interesting notes you brought up, specifically the "legs" issue. One of the more readable items on "legs" is in Wikipedia. Please search for "tears of wine", then look up miscibility of alcohol and water. Fun reading without any deltas, summation symbols and integral equations. There is something aesthetic about legs they are pleasing to look at, and the alleged age of the whisky reference is probably due to the stronger appearing legs when more higher alcohol is present. That age adage would only apply to spirits that had not been tempered down to cask strength. I believe you would expect a cask strength to develop leg quicker than a 40 ABV spirit. That being said, I have found that using soap to wash glasses, wine, beer or whisky is a no-no. Any germs the hot water did not kill will just have to attack my immune system. I get strong legs off the Hancock's Presidential Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon I just poured, and they are present with 40ABV's as well. A strong swirl will start the legs breaking out from the top of the sides near the neck, but the high reverse built into the sides will result in those leg ends forming droplets on the glass sides, once the legs begin to disappear. I have a love/love realationship with bourbon and rye, and like your tasting, I enjoy what the NEAT delivers to my nose. To the main point. Thank you for being open minded and objective, and trying something new without having an "either-or" attitude about its usefulness. I can't wait to hear the other comments.

@Arsilicat - Thank you for the feedback on the review, and for the opportunity to evaluate the glasses. We're having little get together this Saturday, which means someone will likely end up with one of the NEATs...it will be interesting to see what they think of it (Jeff is also seriously considering ordering a set for himself). Also, I've updated the links on the 'legs' to point to the wikipedia article as well.

@YakLord Keep evaluating, and of course we are always interested in any discoveries you may make regarding the glass, its use, and any suggested improvements of potential issues. Soo far thisforum has been hugely educational and beneficial to us. Anxiously awaiting the rest of you challenge takers who have not responded to weigh in.

Finally posted my first review using both NEAT and Glencairn connosr.com/reviews/longrow/…

I plan to do at least two more rounds, but it will again take some time.

Where I currently stand in my opinion of NEAT is that it's a good tool. If I was told I was only allowed to own one glass, it wouldn't be NEAT. If I get a bottle of something new that I haven't tried before, the first pour from that bottle will not be into NEAT. But for every bottle I get, I will want to try it with NEAT a few times too. There are things that the glass does that may let me discover new things, things that I couldn't find (or at least would have a hard time to find) from a convergent rim. If loose the glasses I have now, I would like to buy new ones. I wouldn't recommend NEAT as the first glass to get, but I would recomend it to anyone who wants to explore their whisky from a slightly different angle. It definitely adds something to my appreciation for whisky, it's a tool that lets me do a little bit more.

@YakLord Great review by the way! I realise I need to check out your blog more from now on.

@NilsG, @YakLord, @BlissinABarrel, @CanadianNinja, @FMichael, @NVGeo Thanks for all your input so far, we learn a lot from your blogs and your opinions. Hope the rest of you can weigh in soon. We have been chosen to be the official judging glass for the 2013 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, as well as the 2013 Miami Rum Renaissance Festival. Hope you follow us outside the blog, and keep those evals coming. We check everytime we get an email notifying us of a post. So far it has been a very informative exercise. Many thanks to you all.

@NilsG - Thanks! I've got a third NEAT / Glencairn 'Canadian' review I need to post (hopefully sometime soon...)

Does anyone use the ISO glass? My local Whisky store uses them and I am wanted your thoughts.

@tjb The ISO glass is basically a copita, right? Haven't used the particular ISO glasses myself, but the very similar copitas I've experienced in tastings have worked just fine. Not sure I'd use one in the comfort of my own home though.

@tjb ISO glass did very well in a test by MM: maltmaniacs.net/e-pistle-2007030-whisky-gla…

just picked up some port sippers and am looking forward to trying them on some of my favourite drams...

Finally succumbed and bought these Japanese finely made Shotoku glasses.

uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160619/…

Originally meant for appreciating premium sake, specifically daiginjo, but I can see myself using these for indulging in whisky.

The shape is quite interesting, sort of like a cross between the Glencairn and a NEAT with a little spire in the middle.

@sengjc Remove the spire, and you've basically got a Canadian Glencairn. I quite like mine, and use it more than my standard Glencairn for day-to-day sipping.

amazon.com/Glencairn-Crystal-Canadian-Whis…

@Nelom

You know, you are right. LOL.

Finally bit the bullet and bought a cut crystal Glencairn glass.

uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161210/…

Also received some Glenfiddich branded mini whisky nosing glasses, these look like mini Glencairns.

About time! :)

@sengjc, that is a nice looking crystal pattern.

@Victor

Yes, the reason I got it. It is different to the checker-style. I prefer this pattern as I find it to be more elegant and modern.