I have to admit to having a healthy degree of scepticism when asked along to a spirit tasting using Riedel stemware. Could the shape of a glass make a difference to different spirits? I wondered. Surely a slug of whisky (or Whiskey) or indeed any other spirit, would smell and taste the same no matter what vessel it was served in. So I arrived at the Vinopolis complex, by London Bridge, for the tasting thinking that this might be a load of bunkum. Could I be wrong?
We were invited to taste three different spirits; a tequila, a single malt whisky, and a cognac, each from four differently designed glasses. Three of the glasses had been designed to give the optimum tasting experience for one of the specific spirits, the other, a classic large brandy snifter, was also included for comparison. We sat at the table and Maximilian Riedel (the 11th generation family member) led us through the tasting.
We repeated the exercise with the cognac and the single malt whisky, and in each of these cases the resultant tasting experience was the same, the glass specifically designed for the spirit somehow both enhanced its aroma, the feel on the palate and its depth of flavour. Similarly the brandy snifter had the same effect delivering harsh alcohol on the nose as well as a harsher taste and feel on the palate. I have to admit to being vey surprised how much fuller the aroma, flavour and feel of the spirits were in the glasses developed for them and yes, hands up, I was wrong.
Clearly I need to think about getting some Riedel glasses for my favourite tipple – if only I had one! But if you have a favourite drink and you’d like to savour it at its best, it’s perhaps something you should consider.
You can read about about our experience of Riedel wine glasses in Ellie Knightsbridge’s article, about Maximilian Riedel in Douglas Blyde’s interview and for more information about their range of glassware, visit the Riedel site.