Bourbons that don't do well in Crystal

[chefnash51]

I thought a conversation about bourbons that seem to suffer when tasted from a crystal vessel. Or even ones that shine.

I have been noticing that wheated bourbons seem to not shine so well when placed in crystal.

My Jefferson's Presidential gets very muted in crystal. I have also noticed Weller 12 and Lot B don't do so well.

thoughts?

[Pieface]

I have always felt EC12 does better in glass than crystal for some reason.

I'll also agree on the Lot B performing better in glass.

[cigarnv]

I find few whiskey's that perform well, to my palate, in Glencairn crystal. Most do better in Glencairn glass. I do however find that most whiskeys perform well, again to my palate, in the Schott Zwiesel Tritan glassware, especially the Pure series. While called crystal I suspect the chemical composition is a bit different.

[nblair]

Great idea for a thread! I have always read that bourbons can show different characteristics in glass & crystal. I only have a few crystal Glencairn's at home so haven't really messed around with different glassware, other than the occasional rocks glass. I look forward to what others have to say.

Does anyone know if the Buffalo Trace Glencairn is glass or crystal? The liquor store next to me has them, if they are glass I will go pick one up.

[Gillman]

I use crystal regularly and don't notice any real difference, but I once read that long-term storage (in decanters) is not advised because things can leach into the liquid from the glass (lead, perhaps?).

Gary

[Medicfrost]

Great idea for a thread! I have always read that bourbons can show different characteristics in glass & crystal. I only have a few crystal Glencairn's at home so haven't really messed around with different glassware, other than the occasional rocks glass. I look forward to what others have to say.

Does anyone know if the Buffalo Trace Glencairn is glass or crystal? The liquor store next to me has them, if they are glass I will go pick one up.

I'm gonna assume they are crystal since Glencairn stopped making them from glass in 08. If they are NOS, you may get lucky, and they are glass. I have never drank anything from crystal, all my Glencairns are glass, but if I come across one in crystal, I'll pick it up, and start doing comparisons, hearing this conversation has gotten me curious.

[kickert]

I actually prefer the glass glencairn to the crystal ones I have had. I find the crystal to be a bit too delicate (both while holding and also when they eventually break on me).

[Medicfrost]

If anyone looking for glass Glencairns, I know that http://www.scotchwhiskyglass.com/ still had some left that were etched with PORT ELLEN (call them to order, some Port Ellen may be crystal also), and http://www.cobhthaighceltique.com/ has 7 left that are painted with either a Harp or Scottish Thistle (scroll to the bottom of their Glencairn page, they are on clearance).

[ratcheer]

....

thoughts?

I have never considered such a concept. On the face of it, it sounds absurd.

Tim

[DeanSheen]

I use crystal regularly and don't notice any real difference, but I once read that long-term storage (in decanters) is not advised because things can leach into the liquid from the glass (lead, perhaps?).

Gary

Yes, I believe the long term leaching issue with leaded crystal is the only documented chemical interaction with alcohol stored in crystal.

I use crystal and glass. I had read this same supposition on the board some time ago and I felt as if I was back on an audio board reading about "tweaks".

This would be a cheap tweak, using glass instead of crystal. It is not one that I would support in theory but maybe I'll try an A/B sometime for curiosities sake.

[Gillman]

Robert, I once read somewhere that early tinted bottles also had a tendency to lose some constituents to the contents, i.e., if kept too long, the "dye" in particular. How long too long was, and when this tendency (presumably) stopped, I do not know.

Can it explain the strange results of some early dusty bottles...?

Gary

[dean_martin]

I use crystal and glass. I had read this same supposition on the board some time ago and I felt as if I was back on an audio board reading about "tweaks".

This would be a cheap tweak, using glass instead of crystal. It is not one that I would support in theory but maybe I'll try an A/B sometime for curiosities sake.

It's not valid if it's not a DBT. Ha! I've probably been on those same audio boards.

[kickert]

There is a good deal of discussion about how crystal affects taste vs. glass starting on page 2 of this thread:

http://www.straightbourbon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11629&page=2

[Virus_Of_Life]

Don't buy it for a second, you're letting yourself be influenced by yourself. :slappin:

[DeanSheen]

Don't buy it for a second, you're letting yourself be influenced by yourself. :slappin:

Well that's what I was wanted to post but I was feeling verbose.

I remember reading the thread referenced earlier and fighting the urge to reply.

[Medicfrost]

Since taste is based on the person doing the tasting, the only way to tell the difference is with a blind test with someone that doesn't know that the glasses are different. Personally, I don't believe there would be a difference, unless you are drinking whiskey from a clay pot, but have been wrong before.

SORRY DEAN_MARTIN, I didn't see you said that already

[squire]

I have never noticed a difference, if there is one, and doubt I ever will.

[wadewood]

This thread screams Bullshit. The premise is that wheated or some other bourbons don't do well in crystal vs. some other container material. This implies that the crystal is changing the taste of actual product and I call that BS.

Now, you might well get a different taste sensation out of different shape glasses. Shape can effect the the nose alcohol concentration and smell does effect taste.

Under your premise, If I poured a shot from same bottle of bourbon into 2 exact shape glasses, one glass and one crystal - then I poured these into 2 regular glass cups - the result would be that the sample from the crystal would be muted. I'm willing to be a lot of money that you could not discernible tell the difference in these 2 samples. Hell, James Randi make think you are supernatural and give you a $1,000,000 if you could do this.

No, what I think is happening is that you enjoy drinking out of crystal glasses. Nothing wrong with that. We all have nights that things taste different or off compared to normal. This occurs in whatever you are drinking from; crystal has nothing to do with it.

[ILLfarmboy]

I think it is BS, too. But there may be a different reason.

All of my glass glasses have a thick rim, all of my crystal ware is of the type that has thin walls and a thin rim. Thin walled glasses with thin rims may place the whiskey closer to the tip of the tongue where the perception of sweetness is enhanced.

Edited: scratch that. I had it backward.

I think Wade is on the money.

[callmeox]

Aren't there allegedly a bunch of microscopic sharp edges on the crystal surface that tear open the fabric of the universe or something? I thought this was the explanation for the difference.

[ebo]

I'm not "elevated" enough in my whisk(e)y drinking to tell the difference between crystal and glass as far as taste is concerned. I do notice a difference in "enjoyment" as far as between a Rocks glass and a Glencairn glass, though. I much prefer to drink from the Glencairn, no matter wheather it be scotch, bourbon or Irish.

[flintlock]

What about lead-free crystal vs. glass? I mean, what the molecular structure of crystal as opposed to glass, absent the lead? I have a glass glass and bought a Glencairn of lead free crystal and can't tell the difference...but perhaps much more experimentation is in order...:grin:

[chefnash51]

This thread was only meant to be a discussion, not a fact, not the definitive truth.. no need to call the thread BS over and over.

Maybe it wasn't meant to come of this way, but it sure feels like a few folks are bullying anyone that has a thought that differs from what they feel to be the truth.

This was a light heart-ed topic, just something I felt I noticed and saw a few others make similar comments.

you know, if people just want to have the regulars post on this site and only give credit to those who are in the inner circle, then that is only doing a disservice to this community.

[kickert]

If you follow the link to the other thread, it is Em (Spun_cookie) who originally made the argument for the noticeable difference. While I can't tell a difference myself, there are few people I know who have as good of a palate or who have tasted such a broad range of whiskey in a broad range of settings as Em. If he says it, I will at least hold off on calling "Bullshit."

[White Dog]

I was skeptical of this, but I gave it a whirl. I use Riedel Cognac glasses for most spirits.(The the one with the tulip shape.) I happen to own both the restaurant version, which is regular glass, and the Vinum series, which is 24% leaded crystal.

Both glasses are the exact same shape, except for a slightly thicker stem on the cheaper glass version. The only difference is the material. I'm tasting Lot B out of both, and can detect no difference in either aroma or palate. FWIW.

I prefer the leaded Crytal, but only because it is heavier, and has a more elegant feel. Also, as far as the discussion on the rounded vs. "cut" rims of various glasses, cut rims deliver a better sense of taste, IMHO. I find this true for both wine and whiskey.