Whisky Home Bar Essentials
Whether it’s the first celebratory sip after a busy day or enjoying the fruits of your labour when crafting a well-balanced cocktail, there’s nothing that compares to that perfect pour of your favourite whisky. But it’s not just the liquid which deserves to be of the very best quality – enhancing your home bar must haves can elevate your whisky tasting at home and give you a luxury pour every time.
What should everyone have in their home bar?
Other than a fine selection of whiskies, there are a handful of tools and extras that everyone should have in their home bar. These include:
Quality glassware
Ice moulds or stones
A jigger/measurer – ensures perfect measurements to balance flavours
A muddler – makes it easier to mix together different flavours and ingredients in a number of cocktails
A bar spoon – a metal bar spoon stirs and mixes flavours and aromas without impacting them
Bitters – many recipes call for them, and they can add complexity and depth to drinks.
The truth is, yes, the type of glass you’re using at home could be impacting the overall flavour and experience of your favourite whisky. However, this does not mean you have to go out and spend hundreds on the most expensive crystal glass. It’s not about spending more, it’s about spending wisely, understanding how different shapes, sizes and materials impact your whisky experience.
The three main glasses that anyone serious about their whisky should have at home are tulip glasses, rocks glasses and highball/tall glasses.
Tulip glasses
Also known as Copita glasses or sometimes an aroma glass, the shape of these can really elevate an at-home whisky tasting.
The tulip-like bowl allows enough contact between the whisky and the air to bring out the aromas, and the space between the base and top of the bowl is shaped so that the aromas rise straight to the nose.
Maurits Wetemans, a global ambassador for World Class cocktails and an expert in all things whisky, reaffirms the importance of the right glassware to open up the aromas of a whisky, and adds some further expert tips. He told us, “Try a tapered tumbler glass, tulip glass or wine glass instead to concentrate the aromas for the best experience. And with a water dropper you can add drops of water to the whisky to open up the aromas.”
Rocks glasses
The classic rocks glass – a short tumbler – is the perfect pick for enjoying a pour over ice, or mixing up a classic whisky cocktail like an Old Fashioned as the wide base is ideal for muddling cocktail ingredients and allows the ice to melt more evenly.
Highball glasses
A good highball glass should be the go-to for anyone who enjoys their whisky with a mixer. The tall, thin shape of the glass allows all the ingredients to mix more evenly.
Ideally, whisky glasses should be made from pure glass, crystal or a lead-free glass. This is because these materials are less reactive, so they won’t interfere with the flavour or the aroma of your dram. Also consider avoiding coloured glass or crystal, as an important step in any proper whisky tasting involves seeing the colours of a whisky.
Having a glass or crystal decanter at home is something of a judgement call. Some whisky lovers believe it’s a great step in preserving your liquid, while others think it’s not necessary.
Of the reported benefits of decanting, some suggest a wider opening can help make it easier to pour and more exposure to the air can help open the aromas of the whisky. Visually, whiskies in decanters can also look appealing and luxurious, putting the liquid gold on full display without labels and bottles.
However, some whisky experts warn that excessive exposure to light and air can lead to oxidisation, affecting a whiskies flavour and texture.
Ice stones or ice cubes? Choosing the best ice for whisky
Some love their whisky neat, others like it on the rocks. But did you know the type of ice you use might change your experience? For example, ice spheres tend to melt more slowly than traditional cubes, meaning your whisky can cool without becoming overly diluted.
You can also consider stocking your home bar with whisky stones (made from non-porous rocks) or stainless steel ice cubes, designed to give you the perfectly chilled whisky without watering it down.
You know how to have the perfect set up, now all you need is the perfect whisky to go with it. Learn more about the different types of whisky, and which one might be right for you.
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