Bennuaine Hand-Blown Whisky Glasses

Hey everyone - I owe a big thanks to the forum and just wanted to share that I’ve launched my own crystal glasses for whisky. (They also happen to work well for sticky dessert wines and sherry.)

Like you all, I care about my wine, and enjoy some fine stemware… I never found an equivalent for whisky though, and often thought about producing them myself. Seeing how much folks love glassware around here was the big push for me. It’s been a lot of work to get here, I had COVID and lost both taste and smell for several months, but it’s back now and this project feels pretty worth the effort! They’re designed to provide a lot of aeration and focus to the spirit without overwhelming any senses.

The glasses are lead-free crystal with titanium for strength and shine. Hand-blown in Europe. Dishwasher safe.

Hopefully a little self-promotion is alright with everyone. If you’re interested in learning more, I have a very detailed website that just launched. I’m of course available here to answer any questions as well.

Edited to amend some details.

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Nice looking glasses. I would be likely buy a couple to try if they were stemless, which is my personal preference for whisky glasses. I wish you the best of success.

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Thanks for the kinds words! Definitely get your preference too… Offering both styles is something I’d like to do in the future if this works! I would’ve loved to do that now, but two styles increases production complexity so much at this stage.

With this design, I did try to keep folks like you in mind with a specifically short stem to alleviate some of the issues with taller ones, like not fitting in the dishwasher and generally being a bit more prone to knocking over or breakage.

Nice project and the glasses are very elegant.

I’m curious, how do you objectively measure aroma release between your glass, a glencairn, a copita, a Sauvignon Blanc wine glass, and a rocks glass?

I am genuinely intrigued and interested.

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Appreciate the comment!

We did a series of ranked and averaged no-sight (Obvious reasons) and no-touch (so not to be influenced by production quality like weight and stem thickness) tests with randomized order of the glassware, on a wide range of subjective feedback (ie: what has the most alcohol burn? what smells the most complex? etc), with a variety of people who were both intimately familiar and sorta-familiar with whisk(e)y. I created the test myself, to be honest, but I feel pretty confident with the end results.

This was done at the research stage and then a few times at the development stage.

Bummer, this project didn’t meet its funding goal. I just received the “no glass for you” message.

Edit: But glasses are still available in Feb. just not Kickstarter funded.

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I ended the 4 I ordered for the same price. BTW you guys should probably look at the prices on your website. It’s 2 glasses for $70 and 4 for $150 so I put two separate orders of 2 glasses.

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I’m intrigued, but, like Mark, really am not interested in a stemmed whisky glass. I bet the Kickstarter campaign would have had a greater chance of success if they were stemless.

Bryan,
Have you tried the Riedel whisky glass? It’s my preferred glass, although I honestly do use Glencairn about half the time.

I agree and I am also interested.

I have tried the Riedel… actually quite a few of their different spirits offerings. I think they’re made relatively well, although I don’t love the performance and I think the stem is a bit too thick.

Stemless is definitely on the “to-do” list, but a long ways away, no doubt as it really complicates production and fulfillment. I’ve found preference between stemmed/stemless is roughly 50/50, so at the end of the day, just went with my favorite. I personally like stems because they prevent fingerprints from smudging up the really bright crystal.

Genuine curiosity: What do you like more about stemless?

I also dislike fingerprints on bowls. I grab a Glencairn by its solid glass base, and I grab the Riedel by it’s flat base.

What I like more about stemless for whisky is that I feel a stem for such a small quantity of liquid feels weird. I favor small pours (maybe 1.0 to 1.5 oz. at a time), and a pour of that size in a stemmed glass would feel out of proportion to me.

Is this something that would work for Berserker Day?

That’s a solid reason I can relate to! I definitely need more photos to convey the shape better.
For context, my glass isn’t that much larger than a Glencairn. I too generally do smaller pours, and this design fits 1.75oz perfectly at the widest part of the bowl. And given then nature of diminishing surface area, 1oz still fills a solid portion.
Height wise, the stem isn’t full wine glass or even Reidel level. It’s just enough for 2 or 3 fingers. Overall, I think it’s a very compact shape.


My only hesitancy is that the primary design is for whisky… but I do have restaurants telling me they’re using them in service for the sherry, calvados, dessert stickies… So, maybe?

I knew I wasn’t conveying my point with the desired level of clarity, and your response proves that. I’ll try again.

When I’m talking “pour not in proportion”, I’m not talking about the pour in relation to the bowl, but rather the pour in relation to how much glass (in total) is in my hand (i.e.: the entire glass, not just the bowl). Hopefully that clarifies. :slight_smile:

Kind of a dunce for not following up here, but yes, I did BD14! Love the Wine Berserker community. Y’all really showed up.