Why Drink Glasses are important when drinking Bourbons
Same bourbon. Better glass. Better pour.
The shape, weight and size of a glass change how bourbon smells, how cold it stays and how much room you have for ice and mixers. Tell us how you drink yours and we'll show you the glass built for it.
How do you drink your bourbon?
Three things a glass decides before you take a sip
Aroma
A wide rim lets alcohol vapor drift off so caramel, vanilla and oak come through without the burn.
Temperature
Thick glass holds its temperature and keeps your hand's warmth off the pour. Freezer-safe glass can chill with no ice at all.
Room
A neat pour needs space to swirl. Rocks and cocktails need room for a big cube, bitters and a stir.
A heavy glass that lets it open up
Neat bourbon is all about aroma and texture. You want a steady, heavy glass with enough air above a two-ounce pour to swirl.
- Thick base keeps the pour cool and the glass steady
- Room above the pour for swirling and nosing
- A fused cube takes the edge off warmth without water
Best for: small-batch, single-barrel and wheated bourbons
Square Heavy Base Bourbon Glass ($32.95) is sold out right now. See the product to check back.
Chill the glass, not the bourbon
Ice cools bourbon, but every minute it melts it thins the flavor. These glasses have solid glass fused inside. Keep them in the freezer and pour.
- Cold pour at full strength, no dilution
- Nothing to melt, rattle or refill
- Solid glass cube or sphere fused right into the glass
Best for: barrel-proof and high-rye bourbons, warm evenings, slow sipping
Cube Glass Whiskey Set
A clear solid-glass cube fused into a hand-blown glass. The cold lasts without a drop of water.
Glass Sphere Set
The ice-ball look bartenders love, as solid glass that never melts.
Black Glass, 24k Gold Leaf Cube
The premium Cube Glass: black exterior, gold-leaf cube inside. A statement for a special bottle.
Room for a big cube and an Old Fashioned
Over ice, the glass has to make space. A double old fashioned holds a large cube plus bourbon, bitters and a peel, with a wide mouth for stirring.
- Generous 11 oz bowl, no crowding
- Wide mouth for stirring, muddling and aroma
- Mouth-blown in Sweden by Orrefors
Best for: bourbon on one large cube, the Old Fashioned, bourbon and ginger
Intermezzo Double Old Fashioned, Gold
Orrefors' 1984 icon by Erika Lagerbielke, with a gold drop sealed into the base.
Intermezzo Double Old Fashioned, Blue
The same handcrafted Swedish glass with a blue drop in the base.
Decant the bottle. Set the table.
Pour from a decanter sized for a full bottle of bourbon, then serve in matching black and gold cube glasses. Add the cocktail book and you have every drink covered.
Compare the glasses
| Glass | Best for | Size | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smoked 24k Gold Leaf (set of 2) | Neat, lightly chilled | 3.5 × 3.5 in | $96.00 | View |
| Cube Glass | Cold, undiluted | 3.5 × 3.5 in | $180.00 | View |
| Glass Sphere | Cold, undiluted | 3.5 × 3.5 in | $220.00 | View |
| Black 24k Gold Leaf Cube (set of 2) | Cold, special bottles | 3.5 × 3.5 in | $189.95 | View |
| Intermezzo DOF, Gold (set of 2) | Rocks, Old Fashioned | 11 oz | $185.00 | View |
| Intermezzo DOF, Blue (set of 2) | Rocks, Old Fashioned | 11 oz | $185.00 | View |
Bourbon glass basics
What's the best glass for drinking bourbon neat?
A heavy-bottomed glass with room above the pour. The weight keeps it steady and cool, and the space lets you swirl so the aroma opens up.
How do I keep bourbon cold without watering it down?
Use a glass with solid glass fused inside, like the Cube or Sphere glasses. Keep it in the freezer and pour. It chills the bourbon with nothing to melt.
What size glass do I need for an Old Fashioned?
A double old fashioned. At 11 oz, the Intermezzo holds a large cube, bourbon, bitters and an orange peel with room to stir.
Should I decant bourbon?
Decanting doesn't change bourbon the way it changes wine, but a decanter makes serving easier and looks great on a bar cart. Ours is sized for a full bottle.
Find the glass that fits your pour
Every glass above links straight to its product page, with full details and photos.