Most whisky enthusiasts will have probably heard, and indeed raised a glass, of Glencairn Crystal. The East Kilbride firm revolutionised how we consume and enjoy our favourite drams in 2001, when Raymond Davidson introduced his patented Glencairn Crystal and finally presented a solution to the problem of identifying the ideal glass for whisky.
Before this innovation, whisky had no singular glass it could call its own, unlike Champagne, brandy or wine. It can be served in highball tumblers, Paris goblets, and the cut crystal Old Fashioned whisky tumbler, which remains the most commonly used type of whisky glass. However, there is no example that was created specifically to hold and focus aromas, unlike an inward-curved glass like traditional nosing copitas used by master blenders. There was no mainstream glassware that connoisseurs and fans of whisky, who consider aroma especially important to the experience, could viably attain.
This is where the iconic family-run glass experts, Glencairn, changed matters. The concept for the Glencairn Tasting Glass began with the aforementioned traditional nosing copitas, and was subsequently developed with input from master blenders of five large whisky companies.
The final product had several key, distinct features, including the inward-curve at the top of the glass, which was designed to capture aroma. The glass then fills out into a wide bowl at the bottom, which enables a complete appreciation of the whisky’s colour. Finally, the base was formed to be robust and simultaneously easy on the hand, so the drinker could gain purchase on the glass without affecting the temperature of the whisky by handling the part of the glass in which it rests.
Since the Glencairn whisky glass was introduced into the market, it has received no shortage of accolades and acclaim. Richard Patterson once said of it: “More than anything, it actually identifies Scotch whisky. When you think of the Glencairn glass- what do you think of? You think of Scotch whisky, and that’s what’s so special.”
It can now be found at every distillery in Scotland, Ireland, Wales, as well as most in the USA, and it is the first style of glassware to be endorsed by the Scotch Whisky Association. Among the litany of awards Glencairn have been awarded, the most notable is perhaps the coveted Queen's Award for Enterprise, which is has won an incredible three times for its work on the Glencairn whisky glass, recording wins in 2006, 2012 and 2017 in the international trade category.
With such success, Glencairn has appropriately grown considerably since its inception. It now boasts a team to over 50 full-time staff at their East Kilbride facility, and it is currently managed by Raymond’s sons, Paul and Scott. The brand now reaches an impressive 60 export markets globally, and shifts around three million Glencairn whisky glasses annually. The Scottish company has undoubtedly cemented its place among the world’s leading manufacturers and distributors of fine crystal, glassware and there are plenty of its award-winning products in stock here, including the Glencairn Cut Crystal Glass and Glencairn Water Jug.
Now that’s something worth raising a glass to*.
But don’t just take it from me! Have a look at this nifty promotional video Glencairn made themselves:
*Wait - didn’t I already make this joke?