The glass decides how you experience a brandy's aroma. In one it opens up; in another the alcohol reaches your nose before you notice the dried fruit and oak. Here is which glass to choose and how to use it.
The snifter
Everyone knows the snifter, or balloon: a wide, round bowl, a short stem and a narrow rim. You hold it in your palm, and the brandy warms a little from your hand. It looks festive and suits a slow evening.
The drawback is that alcohol evaporates quickly from the wide bowl and reaches your nose first, which makes the subtle notes of an aged brandy harder to pick out.
The tulip
A tulip glass is smaller and narrower: the bowl is rounded and the rim closes in like a bud. The aroma gathers under the narrow rim, and the alcohol feels less sharp. That is why tasters and cellar masters usually drink brandy from a tulip.
If you only keep one brandy glass at home, choose a tulip on a tall stem. It works for aged brandy and for spirits in general.
How much to pour
Pour a little, about 30–40 ml, so the brandy fills the bottom of the bowl. The rest of the glass is for the aroma. Brandy is never poured to the top.
How to drink from it
Brandy is served at room temperature, 18–20 °C, without ice. Pour it and let it rest for 5–10 minutes so the aroma opens. Hold the glass by the stem if the brandy is already warm and by the bowl if you want to warm it slightly. There is no need to heat the glass over a candle: that only makes the alcohol sharper.
Which glass for TUFF
TUFF XO is aged 20 years and TUFF Heritage 30 years. Brandies this old have many subtle notes: dried apricot, roasted almond, dark chocolate, vanilla. To catch them, pour TUFF into a tulip.
More on serving: How to drink Armenian brandy · What to pair with Armenian brandy
Questions and answers
What glass is best for brandy?
A tulip glass: the narrow rim gathers the aroma and the alcohol feels less sharp. A snifter works too, but the alcohol is more noticeable.
How much brandy should I pour?
About 30–40 ml, so the brandy fills the bottom of the bowl. The rest of the glass is for the aroma.
Should I warm brandy in my hand?
Not necessarily. Brandy is served at 18–20 °C. If it is cooler, hold the glass in your palm for a couple of minutes.
What is a brandy glass called?
The classic round glass is called a snifter or balloon; the narrow glass on a stem is a tulip.
The TUFF collection · Armenian brandy: a guide
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