Straight or on The Rocks?
Once upon a time when you ordered whisky, this was what the bartender would have asked you. Requirements like soda or water or a cocktail such as “whisky sour” had to be addressed separately.
Today, ordering whisky is not that simple anymore. If you prefer a “straight”, you can opt for balloon or tulip shaped glasses as well as the classic tumbler.
Ice? That also has varieties today. Some like a glass full of ice cubes with whisky on top, some like only one giant cube in the glass. As the big cube melts slowly, you can sip your whisky without too much dilution. In some upscale Japanese bars, there are even ice sculptors who check your hobbies and chisel your ice tailor made for you. Are you a football fan? Your ice cube takes the form of a ball. If you do not want any dilution in your drink, then whisky stones or metal cubes from the fridge come in to the picture.
When Bernard Shaw, renown author said “Whisky is the liquid version of sun light”, he was also confessing he was quite a lucky man when he quoted this sentence at the beginning of the 20th century. This was when most of the whiskies were kept in dark glass or ceramic bottles and were sipped directly from the bottle, flask or metal or earthenware cups.
To drink whisky enjoying its glowing reddish hues akin to that of the sun
light was a privilege of the minority who could afford rare and costly glassware.
Delightfully, what Scottish people very accurately called “uisge beatha” (water of life), now generously presents its amber color coming from the oak casks it has rested in the bosoms of, for many years. It is now on all shelves in glass or high quality crystal bottles.
And the glasses…Whisky lovers once washing their hands with whisky and smelling their hands to rate the quality of it are replaced by modern connoisseurs sipping whisky from their design glasses. This international spirit, produced not only in Scotland anymore but all over the world; in Japan and India, Taiwan and Australia has opened up to variety also in presentation and drinking habits.
On the other hand, the wide range of options in glass types is mind blowing. Here is the collection of award winning whisky glasses from Nude; the worldwide known design brand of Şişecam:
“Chill”, product of Nude Design Team, with its marble base kept in fridge and balloon formed design glass top mounted on it while whisky is served. This unique design honored with Reddot Design Award, enables you to sip your whisky cold without having to add even one drop of water or ice.
“Alba”, a Joe Doucet design, meaning Scotland in Celtic, is a tribute to its homeland Scotland both due to its name and also the motifs of tartan at the bottom of the glass.
“Malt”, the design of Finnish designer Mikko Laakkonen on the other hand, is a masterpiece of minimalism. The glass resembling a miniature vase is very conveniently hold thanks to its very narrow base.
It is not without reason that these three unique glasses, all handmade from crystalline glass, have taken their place in the selection of “7 Best Whisky Glasses of the World” by The Independent. These glasses are among the best glasses of the world due to their form, function and reflection of taste and with the elegant edition of a whisky carafe, they become a perfect gift option.
NUDE Whisky glass collection surely does not consist only of these award winning pieces. Collections as Arch, Camp, Club, Club Ice, Finesse, Highlands, Islands, No.9, Shade and Wayne offer great variety of choice.
To sum up, great surprises await whisky lovers browsing the NUDE's Whisky & Spirits category.
Mehmet Yalçin
Author of “A to Z Whisk
