Túath Irish Whiskey Glass
Getting to Grips with The New Túath Irish Whiskey Glass
As you may have noticed, the ever increasing range of whiskey glasses currently on the market directly mirrors the huge surge of interest in whiskey itself. Saying that, the Glencairn has still managed to be ‘the whisky glass’ for most and has seen off many competitors along the way! However, that’s maybe about to change in Ireland with the launch of an Irish Whiskey glass called Tuath that’s been designed specifically for Irish Whiskey. Here are my first impressions.
Appearance
Comparing the Túath Glass to the market leading Glencairn glass it is immediately apparently that the Túath is larger, taller and has a wider opening. This offers the advantage of the whiskey having a greater area to swirl around in which give the aromas a better chance of being released. The slightly bigger opening also facilitates easier nosing, especially for those of us with larger nasal appendages! It is slightly more angular and less curvaceous than the Glencairn, some may like this more modern and edgy shape whilst other may prefer the soft lines of the Glencairn.
Feel
This is where the Túath really comes into its own. The base is specially designed to be held between the thumb, forefinger and middle finger with the first two digits on the top and the middle finger resting under the base. It’s hard to describe but is apparent straight away as soon you pick it up and it feels very natural. The best thing about this design is that the glass feels very secure and it encourages the user to swirl the glass and release aromas. Apparently the pyramid-like angles of the stem where inspired by the island of Skellig Michael!
The Pour
It would be tempting to pour an extra-large measure with a glass this large. However, the bowl reaches its widest point very low down. Knowledgeable drinkers will be aware that pouring to the widest part give the optimum chance for aromas to be released into the bowl. We tried it out for ourselves and rather than pouring an over generous measure we decanted an almost perfectly sized Irish serving.
Nosing
This glass is a pure joy to nose whiskey with. You will notice the flared rim which tends to helps to soften the hot alcohol notes. This combined with the taller glass bowl reduces the chances of any burning sensations but really brings out fruit and ester aromas. We found with experience that going back for extra nosing was very rewarding with the Túath and as mentioned before it is very easy to get your nose fully into the glass.
Tasting
The most important part! This is where the flared rim reveals its other advantage by delivering the liquid straight onto the centre of the tongue. This means that you get the full taste of the whiskey and it is distributed evenly to all the areas of the tongue. A surprising bonus to this was that unlike other tasting glasses there is no need to tip your head back for a sip. The Túath is therefore far better for sociable drinking and means that you are more likely to take smaller sips than with a Glencairn.
In Conclusion
There are some great whiskey glasses out there to choose from. We're already big fans of the classic Glencairn whiskey glass and have also been impressed with the unique NEAT whiskey glass. They all offer a slightly different drinking experience. The Túath is a welcome addition that has the advantage of being specifically designed and marketed towards the Irish Whiskey drinker. That wouldn't stop us from drinking a Scottish Single Malt in it however!
