VESL "The Professional" v. Glencairn Nosing Glass Review

 

With the holidays just a few weeks away, you may be thinking about giving a fellow whiskey lover something special that’s (gasp) not whiskey. Perhaps you’re thinking about a beautiful whiskey glass.

 

It has been a while, but I love writing about whiskey glasses. I’ve done many head-to-head competitions over the years, and while many glasses have distinct advantages (and drawbacks), the Glencairn nosing glass has always come out on top.

 

Several months ago, I was given a VESL “The Professional” whiskey glass as part of a press kit from Diageo. It is, without a doubt, gorgeous (more on that later), and it has been sitting on a display shelf in my whiskey library. I noted in my head that this would be something to review around Christmastime, and, well, here we are.

 

The way these head-to-head competitions work is that I take one whiskey and pour it neat into each glass. I allow both to breathe for the same duration and control that with a lid. I then compare nosing and tasting experiences and declare a winner based on those results.

 

I’ve selected Dewar’s Double Double 21 from a reasonably random pick. The review of that blended Scotch can be found here. It is an expensive whisky, and I chose that purposefully because the VESL is a rather pricy glass – it runs about $60.00. A Glencairn nosing glass can be had for less than $10.00.

Appearance and Feel

 

Glencairn – The Glencairn nosing glass is the industry standard for tulip-shaped whiskey glassware. It is 4.5 inches tall and, at its widest point, measures 2.75 inches, with the mouth at 1.75 inches. It has a tapered foot, which is easy to hold with two fingers. The Glencairn has a solid feel and is easy to hold in my hand. An optional, rather dainty ginger jar lid can be purchased separately.

VESL – VESL’s The Professional has a more well-defined tulip shape. The bowl portion is significantly wider at 3.5 inches, and the chimney narrows to only 1.5 inches. The glass is 8 inches high and has a stem and foot similar to most wine glasses. It comes with a substantial glass lid. It weighs less than the Glencairn and is as easy to hold as any other stemware.

Winner: There is absolutely no comparison via looks. While the Glencairn is simple yet pretty, the VESL oozes luxury. The Glencairn was easier to handle between the two, yet I’m willing to admit I’m just used to it after all these years. Bonus points were given for the VESL’s included lid, which offers that glass the edge.

 

Nosing

 

Glencairn – The footed base allowed me to direct the glass’s mouth and get the whiskey under my nostrils. There were grilled pineapples, honeydew melons, lemon peel, and vanilla.

 

VESL – I found it easy to control due to the long stem. I could adjust angles effortlessly. I could identify pineapples and peaches, along with a bit of oak.

 

Winner:  I preferred the VESL’s smaller opening when it came to mouthing the air (when I pulled it into my mouth to taste it before the actual liquid). However, the broader opening of the Glencairn allowed for a more intimate sniffing experience. It allowed me to dive deep into what I was smelling, whereas the VESL offered more muted notes. That could be the shape of the glass, the smaller opening, or a combination of those. The Glencairn is a superior nosing vessel.

 

Tasting

 

Glencairn – I had to tilt my head back for the whiskey to leave the glass and enter my mouth. I couldn’t just tip the glass; it would just sit in the bulb. Part of that is because of my rather bulky nose. I tasted oak, nutmeg, pineapples, coconuts, lemon, lime, chocolate, and clove.

 

VESL – I thought the narrow opening would allow me to merely tip the glass, but the wider bulb wouldn’t allow it to flow until I tilted my head back. It didn’t change no matter where I held the stem or even the foot. I tasted creamy vanilla, coconuts, pineapples, milk chocolate, and clove.

 

Winner: I liked the feel of the VESL in my hand while tasting. The angle of my head was almost identical between the Glencairn and VESL. Yet, similar to the nosing experience, the tasting offered more breadth and depth with the Glencairn. That makes it the winner.  

 

Verdict and Final Thoughts: If I chose something that would make me look stylish and high society while drinking my whiskey, VESL’s The Professional is a slam-dunk winner. However, what matters to me, as a whiskey reviewer, is performance. That is something the Glencairn excelled at.

 

Would The Professional from VESL make a great gift? The answer is yes if you want that special someone to drink to impress. It looks great on my shelf and is one of the more attractive pieces in my glassware collection.

 

Cheers!

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you to do so responsibly.