The Type Of Glass You Should Use To Drink Bourbon

Enjoying an alcoholic beverage properly can really change the way you taste all the different components of it, especially if it's a high-quality drink created to have varied flavor profiles with layers of depth and complexity. One easy example of this is wine: red wines, white wines, sparkling wines, and even dessert wines are all enjoyed in different types of glassware — think of the difference between a champagne glass and a traditional red wine glass. There's a purpose for that!

This difference in size and shape allows the wine to hit different parts of your tongue when you drink it, allowing you to taste the flavors optimally, per Wine Enthusiast. The same concept applies to bourbon. There are a few "rules" that Liquor.com recommends following in order to properly appreciate the flavors and aromas present within each bottle of bourbon. One of the most important is using the proper type of glass.

If you're using shot glasses to down bourbon, we're guessing you're probably not enjoying the experience a whole lot, and you're definitely not getting the full scope of flavors and aromas that each different bourbon brings to the table. Beau Williams, owner of Kansas City's Julep, is praised for having one of the country's most outstanding bourbon selections, and he has a few suggestions. Namely, "sipping a neat pour from a Glencairn glass, a curved vessel typically reserved for scotch" (via Liquor.com). 

"Aroma is a huge part of your bourbon experience," Williams tells Liquor.com. "You need a glass that lets you capture the aroma — caramel-y, nutty, etc. — to get you excited and cue up the rest of your senses." If you don't have a Glencairn glass (let's be real, do any of us?) he recommends an "Old Fashioned or rocks glasses with a similar, slightly tapered shape." If straight bourbon is still too much, Williams notes that there are many bourbons that "actually benefit from some dilution." Adding some water to your glass will reduce some of the more intense flavor components and "lets the sweetness shine through." 

So, the next time you get a bottle of bourbon to celebrate, make sure you're enjoying it properly!