Whisky Glassware.
By Jonathan Campbell
Like my grandfather, Whisky is a serious drink. It demands you take a moment to appreciate and respect it. Like smoking a fine cigar. Both demand a ritual and this is when you start to consider what vessel you’re drinking your carefully chosen whisky from […]
Whisky, however you spell it, is an acquired taste. I didn’t really care for it until the early noughties when I pitched for The Famous Grouse account. During the pitch process I went to Scotland, toured distilleries and met some true devotees of whisky. I sampled a lot of scotch. During this time, I got to actually like the stuff.
My paternal Grandfather wasn’t a drinker but would on occasion have a scotch. Funny how you remember people. When I think of him it’s that he was immaculately dressed, smoked a pipe, played golf, liked the occasional scotch and was generally a serious man not to be messed with. He was born in Tottenham raised in Australia and his father was Scottish, hence whisky was always scotch.
Like my grandfather, Whisky is a serious drink. It demands you take a moment to appreciate and respect it. Like smoking a fine cigar. Both demand a ritual and this is when you start to consider what vessel you’re drinking your carefully chosen whisky from.
Good glassware is essential to the fine art of drinking whisky. Duraflex is my default glass of choice but if the occasion merits it then I go for something special.
When I’m feeling all Country Gentleman or London Gangster and I’ve been watching too much Guy Ritchie then I use the Purdey copper wheel engraved Decanter and matching glasses. In films, unless there’s a whisky sponsor, they drink whisky from decanters. They take huge gulps of scotch which is actually cold tea as the last thing the director wants is a drunk actor on set. Any hand-cut glass is special. This Purdey copper wheel cut glass is of exceptional quality. The fact that someone has sat at their lathe and cut the design by hand is true craftsmanship. It’s not acid etched—t’s all by hand. One slip, one slight fault and the glass is ruined. It’s expensive because of the time it takes to acquire the skill to create the intricate scenes on the glass.
Purdey is famous for the amazing guns they make, their guns are distinctive because of the engraving they have (Purdey Scroll) which is why the quality of their cut glass engraving is so outstanding. Lead crystal cut glass is so prised it’s often bought and never used, which is a crime. But it also means there’s plenty to be found in charity shops for a fraction of the original purchase price.
The Norlan double walled whisky glass is a modern day classic and the glass I use when drinking a fine whisky with friends. Iit’s elegant but also functional as it’s specifically designed to give you the best possible drinking experience. The internal shape is designed to deliver to your nose and taste buds all the wonderful aromas and flavours of the whisky. Often referred to as the “Nosing glass” it was designed in 2015 by Norlan co-founder Sruli Recht and then refined by legendary master distiller Jim McEwan on Scotland’s Isle of Islay. Made by hand from lightweight borosilicate glass it couldn’t be more different from the classic lead crystal cut glass. Norlan also make the Rauk heavy tumbler which I use for the perfect Negroni.
Back to my grandfather, the head leather craftsman for Harrods. He created bespoke luggage for the Queen, celebrities, and visiting dignitaries. Despite modest earnings, he insisted on the highest quality in everything he owned.
I inherited two tiny whisky glasses, made by the British company Tudor, from him. These glasses, with their 30% lead content, have a beautiful distinctive sparkle. My grandfather had saved them for a special occasion that sadly never arrived. I, however, use them to toast him on the anniversary of Dunkirk, a battle he survived thanks to his swimming skills acquired during his upbringing in Australia.
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