The 12 Best Whiskey Glasses For Your Home Bar

Thanks to the current state of the world, many of us are spending a lot more time at home nowadays. And for those with a taste for spirits, like whiskey, that makes getting a good drink a bit more complicated. However, if you’ve got a proper home bar setup, imbibing your favorite liquor and/or cocktail is a much simpler prospect.

While there are plenty of pieces of gear you might need to have a proper at-home bartending kit, you don’t necessarily have to be a full-blown mixologist to enjoy your whiskey collection. In fact, if your liquor is up to snuff, there’s really only one absolutely necessary addition: glassware. Of course, different bars and different beverages call for specific glasses, which is why we’ve compiled the top options on our list of the best whiskey glasses.

To the layman, a glass is a glass is a glass. But a seasoned imbiber understands that having a stiff drink is much more than just a means of getting tipsy. In fact, it’s a complete sensory experience. And each part makes a difference in said experience, including the heft of the glass in your hand, the appearance of the spirit sloshing about, the aromas the drink elicits, the evolving flavors from the moment the drink hits your lips until you swallow it, and — of course — that warm and fuzzy feeling of cultivating the perfect buzz.

Believe it or not, the glassware you choose can make a pretty tremendous difference in all of that. In fact, there’s actual definable science behind some of it — like glasses shaped to open up the bouquet of a single malt scotch, those that eliminate the harshness of ethanol evaporating from a spirit, and even ones made to keep the oils on your skin from contaminating your liquor of choice. Pick the wrong glass and your drinking endeavor might suffer for a litany of reasons. Pick the right one and it can elevate the whole experience.

Types Of Whiskey Glasses

We can’t tell you which glasses are right for you but pay attention to the smaller details, the purpose of their design, and your own personal tastes and you might just realize that a glass isn’t just a glass — it’s an integral part of what makes a drink worth drinking. For reference, we’ve outlined the three most popular glass shapes and their purposes below:

Snifter: This type of glass is characterized by a wide bottom and a slimmer top/opening. There are a number of variations on this type of glass — including both the Glencairn and NEAT varieties — but they all serve the same basic function. That is to say, they’re designed to let whisky breathe and develop its bouquet as you sip.

Tulip: Tulip glasses are remarkably similar to snifters save for one defining difference: their stem. Traditionally, snifters have a stout stem or no stem at all, whereas tulip glasses tend to have longer stems. The benefit to these is that they allow you to hold your glass in a way that keeps your body heat from warming up your drink and it makes it much less likely for the oils in your hand to contaminate the beverage, as you will likely not accidentally touch the rim of the glass.

Tumbler: This type of glass is known by many names — including rocks, old-fashioned, and lowball — but they all refer to the same basic shape. Marked by a solid base and short sides — ideal for holding around 6-8 ounces of liquid — this type of glass is probably the most recognizable of the three. A staple of the whiskey world, it is not unusual to see whiskey drank neat, on the rocks, or even in a classic cocktail (like an Old Fashioned or Sazerac) out of this type of glassware.

Corkcicle Whiskey Wedge

Best for Whiskey On The Rocks: This particular glass isn’t special itself, but the accessory that comes with it makes all the difference. If you prefer your whiskey on the rocks, but you don’t like how easily traditional ice waters it down, you’ll love the Corkcicle Whiskey Wedge, as it comes with a mold that allows you to freeze a slow-melting wedge of ice directly inside of the glass. That way, your whiskey will chill more quickly with less contamination — and that can make all the difference.

Dorset Double Old-Fashioned Glasses

Best for Cocktails: If you prefer traditional mid-century design, especially when it comes to your drinkware, then the Dorset Double Old-Fashioned Glasses are probably going to spark some interest. Crafted from hand-cut lead crystal, these tumblers have a sturdy base and enough capacity to suit both neat whisky, as well as traditional whiskey cocktails — lending a bit of versatility therein. However, the faceted exterior adds a bit of style and texture that helps elevate them above similarly-shaped rocks glasses.

Glencairn Whisky Glass

Best for Sipping Neat: Widely used and widely respected by those in the know around the world, the Glencairn Whiskey Glass — which won a prestigious innovation award back in 2006 (only a few years after it was first conceived) — is heralded as the official glass of whisky. Its shape was explicitly crafted to bring out the best in traditional spirits — namely scotch and single malts — and is marked by an extended tulip shape with a stout-yet-sturdy base. If you like your whisky peated and you don’t own a Glencairn glass, it’s time to change that. In fact, whatever kind of whiskey you like the most, you should still probably own one or two of these.

Libbey Cut Cocktails Passage Rocks Glasses

Best Prohibition Style: Much of our cocktail culture can be traced back to the Roaring ’20s — you know, the pre-Prohibition era that The Great Gatsby comes from. That time period also birthed one of the most distinct and recognizable style and architectural movements of all time: Art Deco. And these rocks glasses take their design inspiration directly from that era, boasting geometric etchings that both set them apart visually and add a bit of texture that makes them a delight to hold in your hand. Of course, they’re also great at containing a drink or two, which is really the whole point, anyhow.

Riedel VINUM Whisky Glass

Best Stemmed: While the Riedel VINUM Whisky Glass is clearly a thing of beauty — boasting a truncated stem, a thistle shape, and elegant curves — it was actually designed as a purpose-driven vessel made to bring out the best in your single malt whisky. And while that’s enough to put this glassware on our radar, it comes with the added benefit of being dishwasher safe, so you don’t have to worry about trying to handwash them after you’ve had a few drams.

Whiskey Peaks Glasses

Most Stylish: Traditional rocks glasses are really great at containing your whiskey, some ice, and even some mixers. However, they can be a little bit boring in their appearance. If you prefer something that’s a bit more interesting and playful, the folks at Whiskey Peaks have managed to add some unique design elements to their tumblers without sacrificing their form or functionality, You see, in the base of these glasses, they’ve molded the shapes of iconic mountains using real topographical maps for extreme accuracy. There are several different mountains represented from both the United States and abroad — all real and all gorgeous — and they’re sure to be a hit with those who have a taste for the great outdoors.

Norlan Whisky Glass

Best Opaque Tumbler: We’ve been known to say that everything is better in black. As it turns out, that rings true for whisky glasses, as well — as is evidenced by the Norlan Whisky Glass you see here. Inspired by the natural shapes found in nature, digitally designed, and crafted in conjunction with master distiller Jim McEwan, this glass was specially made to bring out the best in whatever whiskey or whisky you pour into it. Built from mouth-blown double-walled borosilicate glass, these glasses are finished with a matte black coating. of course, if you like their form but you want clear glass, they offer an uncoated version, as well.

iittala Ultima Thule Footed On The Rocks Glass

Most Opulent: One of our favorite marks of true craftsmanship is when designers take elements of their homeland and imbue them in the products they create. And that’s on full display in the iittala Ultima Thule Footed On The Rocks Glasses. Made to represent Scandinavia and the “distinct expressive power of Finnish glass,” these glasses are actually crafted using wooden molds — hence their unique appearance and organic design lines. And while their exceptional appearance and construction certainly sets them apart, they also have the added bonus of feet that elevate the glasses off of surfaces, thus helping to avoid the issue of condensation on your precious coffee table, bar top, or wherever else.

Orrefors Intermezzo Double Old Fashioned Glass

Best Overall Tumbler: Sometimes, all you need to elevate your drinking experience is a subtle design element — like the little blue orb found at the base of the Orrefors Intermezzo Double Old Fashioned Glass. Of course, that’s hardly the only thing this tumbler has going for it. In fact, designed by Erika Lagerbielke in 1985, this is one of the best-selling whiskey glasses of all time with over ten million glasses sold in this collection worldwide. And that kind of popularity doesn’t happen by accident, especially when you know that it’s crafted from ultra-high-quality crystal made using traditional methods.

Schott Zwiesel Tritan Crystal Glass

Most Durable: For some of us, drinking whiskey isn’t about putting on a show. It’s about enjoying your spirit in its purest form without any extraneous bells and whistles. If you’re the type who wants to let your booze do the talking, you might appreciate the simplicity and reliability of the Schott Zwiesel Tritan Crystal Glass you see here. But don’t let the simplicity and minimalism fool you; it’s still beautifully crafted from high-end crystal glass — made from a unique combination of titanium and zirconium oxide, in fact. It also has a sturdy construction with a hefty base for balance and security.

Lorren Siena Crystal Double Old Fashioned Glass

Best Budget Tumbler: If you want to feel like a billionaire or just get a small taste of what life is like for fictional man’s man Don Draper, the Lorren Siena Crystal Double Old Fashion Glass might be the whiskey glassware for you. Crafted from lead-free crystal and made in the Tuscan region of Italy, these stunning faceted glasses have an added stylistic touch that serves to elevate them above their competition: a 24k gold band around the rim. Pair that with a 9-ounce capacity and these high-end lowballs are some of the best whisky glasses around.

Waterford Crystal Lismore Old Fashioned Glasses

Best High-End Tumbler: If you want the purest, most traditional upscale whisky drinking experience, you absolutely need to get your hands on genuine crystal rocks glasses, like these ones from fabled crystal-manufacturing brand Waterford. Yes, they are tremendously expensive when compared to most other options on our list, but they’re absolutely gorgeous to behold, they’re both durable and substantial, and they’ll impress just about any visitor you might have.

The Best Whiskey Decanters

Now that you’ve got the perfect glassware picked out, it’s time to rethink how you’re displaying your favorite spirit. Our guide to the best whiskey decanters has got you covered.