Does your choice of glass affect how your tequila tastes?

If you ask the glass experts at Riedel, the fine crystal glass manufacturer from Austria best known for its glassware designed to enhance different types of wines, the answer is a resounding yes! Like their wine glasses, their spirits glasses are uniquely designed to bring out the best of that particular type of spirit, showcasing the aromatics and flavor characteristics of that liquid, while minimizing the bite of alcohol.

According to Riedel, “Tasters determine which forms show the most popular spirits to their greatest advantage on the nose and palate, without losing the carefully crafted nuances of distillation to the dominance of alcohol.”

So what makes the difference when it comes to the shape of your glass? We’re here to dive into it.

The Makeup of the Best Tequila Sipping Glasses

Just like wine, the breadth of full aromas in your tequila will be supported by the right glass. Temperature, taste, aroma - the shape of your glass will have a subtle effect on your overall drinking experience.

The glass should be just big enough to allow good aeration in order to release all the aromas, while still having a narrower top in order to appreciate all the aromas at the nose and in the mouth.

When it comes to the best tequila sipping glasses, a lot of inspiration is drawn from the structure of wine glasses. Here are some tips on the best glassware for sipping luxury tequila.

• Length of the bowl
  A glass with a long, rounded bowl allows the spirit to be swirled easily without any spillage. The length of the bowl lets the tequila aromas rise delicately, highlighting the tempting fruitiness and sweet notes of tequila, while de-emphasizing any harsh burn on the nose and palate if any.Sidenote: With PaQuí, you won’t taste the bite or burn no matter the glass but you might miss out on experiencing the full spectrum of aromas.
  
  
• Stem vs stemless
  If you’re enjoying your tequila on the rocks, a stemless rocks glass is going to be your best bet. But if you are sipping, a long stem is essential. It is important to hold your glass by the stem in order to avoid heating the tequila which happens when you hold the glass by the bowl. Plus, you won’t lose any visual appeal with fingerprints!
• Cut rims
  According to Riedel, the best glasses have cut (or very thin) rims, which allows the liquid to flow smoothly onto the tongue versus being rolled, which actually serves to accentuate the acidity and harshness of the spirit. The rim also helps keep all the fantastic aromas of the tequila within the glass while simultaneously enhancing it.

 

• Transparent glass
  Do not use tinted glasses, because seeing the color of your tequila is part of the visual analysis of a tasting.

Is it bad to drink fine tequila out of a shot glass?

In short, no. You can drink tequila however you want. While it’s not particularly bad, if you want to get the most of your fine luxury tequila, you should use a glass much like a wine glass to help keep the tequila chilled for longer and allow its flavors and aromas to shine in the best way.

The traditional shot glass just doesn’t do (great tasting) tequila justice. Due to its typical shape, a shot glass leaves little room for aeration of the spirit, which is necessary to release all the rich aromas.

That said, if the tequila you have is one that you don’t particularly want to taste because of its biting, burning experience, by all means, taking it as a shot or mixed in a sugary cocktail to bury the taste might not be a bad idea...

So the next time you consider savoring an ultra-premium, great tasting tequila, maybe think twice about tossing back a drink with a shot glass, and experience the full experience with proper glassware. The right glassware can make all the difference to whether you simply like a tequila, or whether you love it!

To try our all-time favorite glass, check out Riedel’s Ouverture tequila glass.