Crystal Imagery

New Year’s resolutions can be tricky things. It can often be hard to keep them. Do you want to travel or broaden your horizons, but putting that into practice is easier said than done? Instead, take a trip from your living room by trying whiskies from around the world. Markets such as India are blossoming, but it isn’t the only country breaking into the whiskey world. Here are a few international whiskies to pour into your personalized whiskey glasses to help transport you around the world without leaving the comfort of your home. Personalized Whiskey Glasses Ireland: Gold Spot Aged 9 Years Limited Edition Mitchell & Son’s “Spot” line is a whiskey lovers’ whiskey, but the Gold Spot Limited Edition brings a new nuance to the line. It starts in a blend of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks before finishing in port and Bordeaux casks. It offers a light yet creamy mouthfeel and a mixture of tropical fruit salad with pepper, vanilla, and a hint of Nutella. This makes it sweet, spicy, and...

The holidays might mean you add a little whiskey to your morning coffee. It might mean making a cocktail to get into the holiday spirit. But what about flavored whiskies? They are often looked down on, but if you are a student of whiskey, you might already know that flavored whiskies are excellent ways to add nuance and flavor to your fall and winter drinks. Here are a few worth pouring into your personalized whiskey glasses , either by themselves or as part of a cocktail.  Personalized Whiskey Glasses Bird Dog Maple Maple-flavored whiskies are some of the most popular types of flavored whiskies. They have graced many a personalized whiskey decanter . The buttery flavor profile of Bird Dog Maple comes from using real maple syrup. It’s perfect for creating a Boulevardier, which is essentially a Negroni using whiskey instead of gin. The maple flavor goes especially well with fall but still carries into the winter, making it an ideal liquor for the cold months. Knob Cree...

Many seasoned whiskey drinkers turn up their noses at the thought of flavored whiskeys. What’s the point of a peach-flavored whiskey? Many flavored whiskies are far too sweet, and the poor reputation has been rightfully earned. However, there is still a case for flavored whiskey. It may not be what you store in your personalized whiskey decanter , but it still might have a place in your home bar. Personalized Whiskey Glasses What Is Flavored Whiskey? Flavored whiskey must contain natural flavors but may contain sugar. Unlike liqueurs, flavored whiskey does not need to have sugar. The best-flavored whiskies don’t add excessive sweetness. Some sweetness, such as in maple or peanut butter whiskey, might be good. For the most part, though, you don’t want to try anything that can be saccharine-sweet. Some of the major brands, from Knob Creek to Jim Beam, put out flavored whiskies that are worth a try. What Whiskey Flavors Should You Try? The key is to find the right flavored whiskies to...

Have you ever wondered how the weather affects your whiskey tastes? Before pouring your favorite whiskey into your custom whiskey glasses , consider how the climates of Tennessee and Scotland differ. What about whiskey from Arizona or India? If you are looking for certain factors in your whiskeys, such as a sweeter whiskey or higher proof, it can help to understand how the aging climates affect the final whiskeys. Custom Whiskey Glasses How Climate Matters Consider that Glasgow, Scotland, has a moderate range of temperatures. Compared to the United States, Glasgow has far fewer temperature swings and high humidity. Areas like Tennessee and India see much higher temperatures. Scotch in Glasgow, put in used barrels, can age much longer than in hotter climates. It’s not dissimilar to roasting meat low and slow instead of intense heat on the barbecue. Higher temperatures create a stronger reaction between the whiskey and the wood. Warmer Climates Mean Sweeter Whiskey In general, whiski...

Whether it’s for a backyard barbecue party or a barbecue for one, you might want to pair a whiskey with your meal. Some whiskies are great as part of your barbecue sauce or marinade, while others are better sipped out of your personalized whiskey glasses while enjoying your meal. Here are some whiskies you should consider breaking out next time you want to impress guests at your summer barbecue party. Personalized Whiskey Glasses Woodford Reserve True to its name, Woodford Reserve offers wood, fruit, floral, and spice flavors. This makes it perfect for barbecues, especially if you have a pit-smoking setup. Pit smoking can impart oak and mild smoked flavors to your barbecue. Pit-smoked pork and a glass of Woodford Reserve bourbon is an unforgettable match. Woodford Reserve Double Oak offers spiciness and a little heat, with vanilla and smoky oak undertones. Combine it with oak smoked brisket, and you get a sweet, velvety mouthfeel. Bardstown Fusion No. 5 The toasty caramels and swee...

There are plenty of celebrities who have endorsed or own whiskey labels. Some collaborations stand out, and some fall flat. Which are worth pouring into your personalized whiskey glasses ? This list of whiskies highlights some of the more highly regarded options among celebrity-backed whiskies. Here are six options worth trying. Personalized Whiskey Glasses Sweetens Cove Bourbon — Peyton Manning and Andy Roddick Many celebrity-backed spirits leave something to be desired. They may be bottled at meager proofs or have sweeteners and flavorings added to appeal to those who aren’t typical whiskey drinkers. Sweetens Cove, from famous quarterback Peyton Manning and tennis star Andy Roddick, is for true whiskey connoisseurs. While some regard it as overpriced, this limited offering has three cask-strength Tennessee bourbons blended by bourbon industry star Marianne Eaves. Lagavulin Offerman Edition: Guinness Cask Finish — Nick Offerman If there is any celebrity who knows whiskey, it’s Nic...

It’s nearly summer, which means it’s the perfect time to ensure your home bar has what you need for cold drinks on your back porch. With the right customized options, you can always have an enjoyable appearance, no matter your drink of choice. From personalized whiskey glasses to a crystal ice bucket, here are some of the items you should have in your home bar this summer.  Personalized Whiskey Glasses A Boston Shaker for Cooling Cocktails First, you will need something to shake your cocktails in. Most mixologists and bartenders will use a Boston shaker. It creates a seal to hold in the cocktail as you shake it. It doesn’t have a strainer on the end, but this opens up your ability to use a Hawthorne strainer or a fine mesh strainer. Boston shakers either have two metal tins or one metal and one glass. The glass option lets guests see the ice and cocktail as you shake it. A Crystal Ice Bucket to Hold Ice You might also want to add ice to some cocktails to keep them c...

Spring is here, and it’s time for spring cleaning. It’s time to clean out your home bar and make some upgrades. Whether you are going with personalized whiskey glasses to replace your old, scratched glasses or you are getting better bar tools, you have plenty of options. Here are some of the upgrades you can make during spring cleaning. Customized Glasses for Flair How long have you been using the same glasses? If your bar glasses are scratched or old, it might be time for a replacement. Upgrade to custom glasses to add a bit of refinement to your home bar. After-work beers in customized beer glasses have a different feel than your typical glass. From a monogram, initials, or a funny logo to a custom image, there is a wide variety of personalization. Make sure to get deeply engraved glasses, as this helps make them even more elegant. A Whiskey Decanter to Show Off Whiskey Whiskey, unlike wine, does not benefit from “breathing.” A wine decanter opens up flavors, while...

One of the most famous whiskey cocktails is the old fashioned. Popularized in the late 20th century thanks to the character Don Draper in Mad Men, the old fashioned is a fairly simple cocktail to make, and thus a popular option among whiskey drinkers. The old fashioned can be made with a wealth of variations, leading to strong opinions from many bartenders on the “right” way to make an old fashioned. Before you fill your personalized whiskey glasses with an old fashioned, here is some history and everything you need to know about the famous cocktail. Personalized Whiskey Glasses The Origins of the Old Fashioned While some claim the old fashioned was created in 1881 at the Pendennis Club, the recipe for an old fashioned has been around since 1806. It was a spirit, bitters, water, and sugar. At the time, it was referred to as a bittered sling. Today, it is typically made with those same ingredients, with bourbon being the spirit of choice. A sugar cube or simple syrup is used...

Making whiskey cocktails is equal parts science and art. From dilution to choosing the right kind of whiskey, the end result should be a cocktail that you can sip out of your personalized whiskey glasses and enjoy to its fullest. Here are some tips to help you elevate your favorite whiskey drink. Get to Know Budget Brands Imagine having a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle and using it to make a mediocre old fashioned, where the sugar and orange and bitters distort the very expensive bourbon. Or using a Yamazaki 12, which is an increasingly rare bottle, to make a highball. Instead of using top-shelf whiskey, learn budget brands, many of which give pricier bottles a run for their money. From Elijah Craig Small Batch to Buffalo Trace, there are plenty of options for whichever kind of whiskey you need for a cocktail. Look for Higher Proofs When you mix whiskey into a cocktail, you are likely using ice with it, which will dilute the whiskey. For this reason, you want to look for hig...

When you have personalized whiskey glasses , you want to have something interesting to put in them. From the rare to the odd, there are plenty of whiskies perfect for pouring into custom whiskey glasses, lending an elegance that is hard to find any other way. Here are some of the odd, rare whiskies you might want to try if you are ready to move on from everyday sippers.  Personalized Whiskey Glasses The Illegal Whiskey: Compass Box The Spice Tree Independent whisky maker John Glaser of Compass Box blended Highland malt that had been partly finished in casks with 195-year-old French oak staves. It’s a technique similar to what some winemakers use, which can accelerate the effects of aging. However, the Scotch Whisky Association deemed it unlawful, threatening legal action against Compass, which pulled The Spice Tree off shelves. While a new, SWA-approved expression with specially made casks appeared in 2006, finding the original expression can spice up your custom engrav...

Whether you’re celebrating a birthday or the anniversary of your group’s founding, there are plenty of ways to celebrate your whiskey group’s milestones. From getting glasses etched with your group’s new, personalized logo to a competition to see who can make the best blend of whiskey as a fun event, there are plenty of options. Here are some of the most fun ways you can celebrate milestones with your whiskey group. Custom Whiskey Glasses Get a Group Logo   First and foremost, celebrate your whole group by commissioning an artist to create a custom logo for the group. Come up with a group name, a few things you all love that should be part of a logo, and have the artist bring your design to life. Make it part of the Facebook group, put it on shirts, or even get stickers. The possibilities are endless.   Order Custom Whiskey Glasses   Once you have a logo, another crucial option presents itself: custom whiskey glasses engraved with the group’s logo. Let’s ...