If wine glasses and beer glasses are the foundation of your glassware collection, then whiskey glasses are the elevation. They show your friends that you have excellent taste, and that you know how to appreciate the finer things in life.

However, whiskey glasses don’t need to be complicated or exorbitantly expensive in order to be worthwhile.

“Whiskey is simple. It’s water, yeast and grain, and you don’t have to overthink it,” Trenny Clementine, a whiskey expert and host of the YouTube channel Trenny and C, told the New York Post.

“A whiskey glass has three main functions,” Clementine said. “Feel, nose and taste.”

Those refer to how stable the glass feels in your hand, how the shape corrals vapors up to your nose and how the glass lets the taste of your whiskey speak for itself. “The glass should encourage a little air to mingle with the whiskey, bringing out the best flavor, finish and viscosity,” Clementine told The Post.

According to Jayac Heal, a whiskey vlogger known as the Whisky Amateur, the shape of the glass also lets you properly smell or “nose” the liquor. “By having a larger bowl and a narrower rim than regular glasses,” he said, “it helps to trap the aromas in the glass, allow[ing] you to smell them without them escaping the glass too quickly.”

In terms of pricing, Both Clementine and Heal agreed that quality whiskey glasses will cost around $10 each. That leaves more room in your budget to try out different whiskey varieties.

Shop the best whiskey glasses below, as recommended by our experts. These instantly upgrade your bar cart at home, and they all make unique gifts for the holidays.

The Glencairn glass was developed in Scotland to be the absolute perfect vessel for drinking whiskey. It’s become so popular and well-known, its shape is recognized as the Glencairn shape, which many other glassmakers model their glasses after.

“The quintessential whiskey glass,” said Heal. “If you visit a Scottish distillery, there’s a 99-percent chance they served their scotch in one of these, and for good reason. The tapered neck helps to capture the aromas of the whiskey.”

Inspired by the droplet shape of our experts’ best overall pick, this glass achieves a very similar effect of allowing air to mix with the whiskey and wafting its aromas up to your nose for you to enjoy. These are also safe to clean in the dishwasher, so you don’t have to worry about being overly precious with them.

“Same classic styling as the traditional Glencairn glass at a more budget-friendly price,” said Clementine. “[It] allows you to spend more money on the bottle of whiskey itself, not the glass.”

In addition to the glass itself, which has a striking design, this investment-worthy pick includes a metal cooling base to keep your drink at the ideal temperature, as well as a leather coaster to protect your table. According to the brand, the shape of the glass is supposed to reduce the harshness of any alcohol vapors, allowing for a more pleasant sipping experience.

“I have a set of these and they’re just really cool,” said Clementine. “They feel great in your hand and just make you feel fancy!”

Crafted in Italy with mesmerizing etching all the way around, these glasses make anything you pour into them appear to be more sophisticated. If you’re looking for a gift, pick up the pair that comes with a matching decanter that will hold an entire bottle of whiskey.

Clementine recommended these because he said they look “like a big old chunky ‘rocks glass’ that came out of grandpa’s cupboard.” Definitely a style upgrade for your at-home bar.

To add a personalized touch to your drinking setup, grab one of these glasses that you can customize with either a single- or double-letter monogram design. This would make a thoughtful and practical gift (that also happens to be quite affordable).

“Another recommendation for the classic whiskey glass, here you have the option to personalize the glass with laser-etched monograms,” said Heal. “Perfect for gifting from friends and family to business [acquaintances].”

“If you’re thinking of gifting some whiskey glasses, then it only makes sense that there’s a bottle of whiskey to go with them,” said Heal. “Thankfully, Laphroaig has the perfect affordable gift set.”

The glasses in this set — which have etched Laphroaig logos — are inspired by the traditional Glencairn shape. However, instead of having a steam on the bottom, the glass is thicker there in order to protect your drink from overheating in your hand.

According to Heal, the taste profile of Lore whiskey is “rich, smoky and salty scotch with notes of vanilla.”

Made in Germany from a proprietary material, this dishwasher-safe glass resists chipping, breaking and scratching. It also adds some nice variety to your drinkware collection with its modern silhouette.

“Design-wise you’ll rarely see another glass like it,” said Heal. “The rounded base sits snugly in your palm, perfect for swirling your whiskey to release the aromas. Place it down on the table and the glass gently rocks but never falls. The larger size also gives you the space to use this as a cocktail glass when entertaining.”

Borosilicate glass is known to be especially durable and hard to break, making this slightly pricey glass one that will last you for years to come. Each glass is made by hand, and the shape, perfected with the help of a master distiller, is designed to help you take in all of your drink’s pleasant aromas.

“Stylish, sophisticated, this glass is not only eye-catching, but the design of the interior serves to eliminate ethanol burn whilst still delivering the aromas,” said Heal. “It’s won several awards for a reason.”

For a versatile style that works well with whiskey and looks just as fitting with other beverages, this minimalist glass is your best choice. It doesn’t scream “I love whiskey,” which is nice if you have limited space or budget for specialized drinkware, but it still elevates your dark brown liquor with every sip.

“One of my favorite designs,” said Heal. “The small shape of these glasses gives your whiskey the chance to shine. Hold this glass up and tilt it in the light, you’ll get the clearest view of the color of your whiskey, plus you’ll be able to admire the natural oils in your whiskey by watching how much it hugs onto the sides of the glass.”

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