If I can ever stop spending my new glassware earmarks on new spirits bottles, in the hopefully not-too-distant future I plan on ordering a few new glasses to try: the Chisholm Trail Crafts regular & high proof agave spirits glasses & the Denver & Liely agave glass, maybe a couple of each at first due to cost considerations. I love the look of the Chisholm etched agave plant version, but will probably opt first for regular, non-etched versions.
Initially, I wasn’t sure about the high proof glass because I was wary of higher proof spirits, but Tequila Ocho Plata Puntas 2024 -Mirandillas changed that for me completely. Keep in mind, I’ve not had, until recently, any spirits, low or high proof, for longer than some of my undergraduate students have been alive, so higher proofs are a bit intimidating. But, I’m told, “fortune favors the bold,” at least with good planning, supply, & logistics.
As part of my spirits journey of experimentation, which follows over a decade away, learning about glassware & the nuances it makes, particularly in shaping & direction different spirits’ aromas, has been the most fun & educational.
Thus far, my favorite glass for agave spirits like tequila & light smoke mezcals (not a fan of the heavy smoke mezcals, at least for now) is the Riedel tequila flute because, for me, it directs the aromas of most of the agave spirits that I’ve tried the clearest/best. A close second is the Luigi Bormioli Vinoteque snifter glass. In the middle of the pack is the sturdy & economically priced (with a great storage & travel box) Glassique Cadeau tequila copita.
In last place for agave spirits have been the Stölzle (Stolzle) Lausitz whisky nosing glass & the Glencairn scotch/whisky glass. However, I must note here that for some agave spirits, the Glencairn has actually highlighted the aromas better than the others. And both the Glencairn & the Stölzle are amazing for whiskies.
Today, when experimenting with Glencairn glasses, I found that they highlight very well the multitude of aromas in both Tequila Ocho Puntas 2024 and Mezcal Burrito Fiestero Artesenal Joven from Durango.
There are differences in what the Glencairn, Riedel flute, and the Glassique Cadeau tequila copita & mezcal glass do with the aromas. The mezcal glass, to me, does the least to funnel Mezcal Burrito Fiestero’s complex aroma profile.
With a bit of budgetary self-control, I look forward to experimenting with the Denver & Liely & the two Chisholm Trail Crafts agave glasses.
Agave Spirits+ Journey 