Guide to Cleaning & Maintaining Whiskey Glasses

Love your whiskey glasses as you do your whiskey!

Caring for your glassware is an important part of the whiskey drinking experience. You’ve gone to so much trouble to select the right whiskey, purchase the perfect whiskey glasses, create just the right mood—it would put a damper on your draming with cloudy glasses with a faint odor. If you’re guilty of neglecting your glasses, read on. The fact of the matter is that the way in which you wash and care for whiskey glasses has a direct effect on the taste of whiskey. Properly caring for your whiskey glasses will ensure that your whiskeys always taste their best.

Avoid unwanted tastes and odors in your whiskey glasses. Certain glasses are more porous than others.  Although looking completely smooth to the naked eye, glass is filled with microscopic pores and crevices that shelter residues and deposits; sharp, microscopic edges are what help open up the whiskey when you swirl it in your glass. Glasses should be stored in a well ventilated area, such as a specialty glass rack that allows them to hang.

Know the dos and don’ts of washing whiskey glasses. Keeping your glasses clean can be as simple as washing with hot water and rinsing with cold. For good glasses, washing in lukewarm water works best. While often this is enough to clean the glass, you may encounter stubborn whiskey stains (or perhaps a lipstick print or two). Thoroughly cleaning with a mild detergent or a product like Stem Shine eliminates residues that cause unwanted odors and tastes and prevents clouding. It’s never a good idea to wash with anything harsh, such as a steel or wool pad, unless you are a fan of scratched glasses!