Top 5 Whisky Glasses for the Perfect Gift
Sep 14, 2026
A good dram deserves a good glass - here's ours
Choosing the right whisky glass can be the difference between a good dram and a great one.
We have a variety of different glasses at home for a good pour. Why? Our choice changes with the occasion and our mood; it shapes the flavour experience from that whisky, from how the aroma reaches you to how it feels in your mouth (through the thickness of the glass), and how the whisky feels in the hand.
Whether this is gifting season and you're buying for a whisky lover on your list or upgrading your own setup, here are five glasses we love across every price point, from £5 to £108.
Quick answer: the Richard Brendon Double Old Fashioned Tumbler (£108) is our top pick - the highest price on this list, but the lowest cost per sip once you factor in that a glass this well-made gets used for decades, not years. For a more affordable everyday option, Dartington Crystal (£25) is excellent value, and the Glencairn Glass (£4.95) is the classic, most widely-used nosing glass.
Richard Brendon 'Fluted Double Old Fashioned Tumbler' - our top pick
Yes, it's the most expensive glass on this list - and it's still the one we'd recommend first.
The Fluted Double Old Fashioned Tumbler is mouth blown, with a design drawing inspiration from the decadent cocktail culture of the Art Deco 1920s, and made by our favourite British glassware designer.
Judge it on cost per sip, not price tag: a tumbler made this well gets used for a lifetime of drams, which makes the real cost per pour lower than almost anything else here. The weight of it adds to the whole occasion - decadent, a little indulgent - one that really elevates the ritual of pouring a dram.
£108 each, from Richard Brendon.
Dartington Crystal - the everyday elevated pick
Lovely to hold and sip from, with a good weight, and a great price. We've had our pair for years, and they're typically our go to week-night drinking tumbler. They feel special without being precious about it (they're also dishwasher friendly).
The heavy base also means they sit on a sofa arm, which (trust us) matters!
£25 each, from Dartington Crystal
Denver & Liely — the design-led pick
Hand-blown, hand-polished, hand-cut. These are a two-in-one design - a wide bowl at the base to wrap your hand around, funnelling up into a smaller mouth that concentrates the aroma.
Each one comes from a numbered batch, printed on the tin, much like a cask number - a nice detail for anyone who appreciates the craft side of whisky as much as the drinking.
£34.95 each, from Master of Malt (UK).
IKEA POKAL Glass - the everyday kitchen pick
'One of these things is not like the other'...but bear with us here.
Let's say you're cooking. You fancy a whisky to slowly sip while the pasta's on for the family. Or maybe you're out camping, and you haven't bought your best glassware with you.
This is the one to reach for.
No fuss. 100% dishwasher friendly. No tears if it breaks. More than that, it fits so well in your hand, and a single pour looks great in it.
Not every whisky moment needs ceremony.
£4 for a set of 6, from IKEA.
Glencairn Glass - the classic pick
The industry-standard.
If you've been to a whisky tasting, there's a good chance you drank from one of these - the tulip shape funnels aroma up toward the nose, giving you the best read on what's in the glass.
I'll be honest, even as whisky professionals we don't drink from these on a daily basis; we have a huge stock of them for analysing whisky, but our whisky drinking moments are usually a more relaxed affair.
However, they're a timeless design, and a staple for anyone serious about whisky.
£4.95 each, from The Whisky Exchange.
Whether it's an everyday sipper or a special-occasion indulgence, there's a glass here for every whisky drinker. Pairing one with a Slow Whisky Club gift gives them something to actually pour into it.
FAQs
What's the best whisky glass to give as a gift?
The Richard Brendon Double Old Fashioned Tumbler is our top pick - expensive, but the cost per sip drops fast given how long a glass this well-made actually lasts. For a safer, more affordable option, the Glencairn Glass is the most universally-appreciated choice for a serious whisky drinker.
Do you need a special glass to drink whisky properly?
No - but the right glass can change the experience. A tulip-shaped glass concentrates aroma toward the nose far better than a standard tumbler, which is why nosing glasses like the Glencairn are the standard at tastings.
What's the difference between a whisky tumbler and a nosing glass?
A tumbler is wider and flatter, better suited to whisky on the rocks or in a cocktail. A nosing glass narrows toward the top specifically to direct aroma, making it the better choice for tasting whisky neat.
How much should I spend on a whisky glass gift?
There's a genuine option at every price point - from around £5 for a Glencairn or a set of IKEA tumblers, up to £98 for something like the Richard Brendon tumbler. The glass doesn't need to be expensive to be a good gift; it needs to suit how the person actually drinks.
Georgie Bell
Co-Founder of The Heart Cut // Keeper of the Quaich // Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Distillers // Icons of Whisky ‘Whisky Ambassador of the Year’ 2020
