Is There A Proper Way To Hold A Whiskey Glass?

So, you've ordered a whiskey. Now what? Of course, you sip slowly, but in the moments in between, how should you hold your glass? The best way to hold a whiskey glass is upright. Most folks will occasionally tilt it at a 30 to 40 degree angle, but much more than that, and you're unlikely to be invited back to wherever you've just made a boozy mess. However, what is considered the "proper" way can vary from, "Who cares?" to a much more specific set of criteria. Like a lot of your vast and varied cocktail glasses and other barware with dedicated use cases, there are a few different types of whiskey glasses made for different types of sipping. Waterford, the gold standard in fancy pants vessels, for example, points to four equally valid varieties.

The proper holding method for your whiskey will ultimately depend on which style of glass the drink has been poured into. The first, and most common type, is a tumbler. These are easy enough to manage without much thought, simply by the sides of the glass in a balanced fashion. You hold them like literally any other cylindrical cup — considering the shape, there really aren't any outlying opportunities to try otherwise. The same goes for highball glasses, which are taller and skinnier. Many various types of tipples are also served in tumblers and highballs, and you'll handle those more or less the same way, too. However, more precisely intended whiskey glasses have more specific instructions.

If you are handed a whiskey in a vessel that looks more like a flower vase, odds are it is a Glencairn glass. This style of beverage holder was created specifically for whiskey. Named for its Scottish crystal maker, a Glencarin glass will typically have a curvy, tulip shaped primary component, and a more squat base. That main component, which most would just think of as the glass in general, is designed largely for swirling without those embarrassing spills that might make it look like you've been overserved. Swirling, of course, helps to bloom the spirit's perfume, and it's just fun to do. And you're supposed to make all those rotations by holding the glass by the base to keep your body temperature from heating up the liquor by way of your fingertips. Remember: base, swirl, taste.

Stemmed glasses like snifters are similar in broad principle. If something has a stem, like a wine glass, you're probably supposed to use it. The specific design of the snifter stem can also keep your body heat at bay, so it is best to grab hold from there while sipping. Hopefully you're in gracious company who wouldn't look askance either way, but the minutiae of proper finger placement will help even beginners to avoid some of the mistakes everyone makes when tasting whiskey.