Just to make it perfectly clear, I don’t Kickstart things often.
But when I took a look at what Norlan had planned for a whisky glass, I simply couldn’t resist — especially when my backing would net me two glasses when the project came to fruition.
The glass itself look gorgeous (albeit a bit strange). It’s a double-walled glass, with a tulip-shaped nosing glass suspended inside an angular tumbler.
This unique design attempts to solve a problem I have long noted about whisky glasses. Tumblers do little for the aroma of whisky, but are enormously pleasurable to drink from. Nosing glasses, (like the oft-lauded Glencairn) are wonderful aromatically, but fussy and uncomfortable to drink from (in my experience at least).
So how close does the Norlan get to achieving its goal?
Norlan Whisky Glass Review
Well whisky fans, what can I say except it works.
The Norlan whisky glass delivers everything it promises. First off, it looks great. It’s a conversation piece, and a wonderful gift for whisky drinkers. And while that’s not essential to the whisky imbibing experience, good aesthetics sure don’t hurt.
I have long suspected the tulip-shaped glasses work better to concentrate the nose of whisky, and the Norlan has all but confirmed it.
For my inaugural tasting I chose Talisker 57 (one of my favourites), but for my official review I opted for the punchy, bold Dark Horse. It usually brings a full, robust nose, but in the Norlan, it seemed to be leaping out. I swear it nearly doubled the aroma, without overwhelming with the alcohol fumes.
It feels great in the hand, too. With the comfortable tumbler-style outer wall, the Norlan is as enjoyable to hold as it is to look at.
I can’t honestly say it’s perfect, however.
Likely owing to its double-walled design, the lip of the glass is very thick, almost chunky. On the mouth, the Norlan feels just a tad cheap, like sipping from a coffee mug.
I tend to prefer thin, wine-glass-like crystal for my beverages, but not everyone cares as much. If you’re drinking out of chunky tumblers anyways, the Norlan likely wont be off-putting in this regard.
***
All in all, this glass does everything it promises to. It looks as good as the slick branding would lead you to believe, and most importantly, offers the aromatic boost of a nosing glass with the drinking experience of a tumbler.
It’s out of stock now, but keep your eyes on Norlan. It’s a whisky glass worth sipping slow from.
