If you've ever been into a specialty kitchen store, you've most likely seen a wall filled with glasses. When you actually step up to the wall, you'll notice the myriad of designs. Well, not all these designs are just for aesthetics. A number of them have a purpose--to enhance the drink that should be served within it. And this goes far beyond wine; even your cocktails and straight-up spirits will have a glass devoted to their consumption. One such spirit Scotch whisky, a tasting experience that is on the rise in popularity across this fine nation.
Function
The type of glass devoted to drinking Scotch is designed to bring out the best in the spirit as a whole. Not only is it fashioned to direct the Scotch into the mouth in the right amount and to the appropriate parts of the palate, it is also crafted to direct the aromas toward the top of the glass. If you know anything about tasting Scotch, you know that it isn't tasting as much as it is smelling. The bouquet of the Scotch enhances both its primary and secondary flavors (secondary meaning the taste left after it is swallowed).
Identification
You should be able to discern a single malt Scotch glass by sight. Typically, the glass will taper in as it moves up from the bowl, but then turn out again as it gets to the rim. It looks somewhat similar to a snifter you would use to enjoy brandy. Sometimes, the glass will also have a long stem similar to a wine glass. This is merely for appearance and has nothing to do with enhancing the Scotch.
Considerations
If you do not have an actual single malt Scotch glass available to you, many people claim that a brandy snifter works just the same. Of course, this is slightly blasphemous to a true connoisseur, and you should really use a glass designed for Scotch to truly appreciate everything about its aroma, taste and texture.
Benefits
Each portion in the design of the glass itself has a benefit. The bowl, which looks slightly rounded to the eye, is crafted for the swirl you would make prior to a drink. This swirl directs the aromas up the glass until they are caught in the taper for you to smell. The flare properly directs the Scotch into the mouth, specifically to the tip of your tongue so you can taste the "sweetness" of the drink.
Types
As with anything on the market these days, single malt Scotch glasses come in varying degrees of quality. They vary not only in what the glass is made of, but the thinness of the actual glass. Most people will recommend you purchase on the higher end of the quality scale where you'd find a thinner glass and a certain percentage of its makeup to be crystal. These are ideal for both tasting and drinking Scotch.
Tags: malt Scotch, drinking Scotch, glass devoted, glass will, into mouth, malt Scotch glass, Scotch glass
