Riedel-Ron Zacapa Rum Glasses

[RumBarPhilly]

I believe these were given away at ICSF last year to the first hundred people or something. Does anybody have one, maybe they can send a picture of it, I'm very curious about it.

Supposedly it was a glass designed by scientists to capture the flavor, balance, and nose of Zacapa 23.

[Milicent]

I hope someone who has informed information on this topic responds. I love the idea but would like to hear more about it.

[Edward Hamilton]

I have not used this glass but am told that it is similar to the Riedel single malt glass. The flared lip allows the liquid to glide over the tongue and mouth to enhance the flavor the rum. This glass was designed for Zacapa and I'm told it does enhance the flavor of that rum. I'm looking for a picture of the glass and haven't found anything that isn't copyrighted.

[Hank Koestner]

Gentlemen, If these particular glasses are available for sale somewhere, let us know. I would love to purchase a few.

[Edward Hamilton]

Here is a link to the Riedel rum glass on their website (http://www.wineglassguide.com/rum.html). Prices seem to vary between Moderate and Exclusive. I've been told they are in the $40 range.

[RumBarPhilly]

Here is a link to the Riedel rum glass on their website (http://www.wineglassguide.com/rum.html). Prices seem to vary between Moderate and Exclusive. I've been told they are in the $40 range.

Im assuming it would work for other full bodied rums as well, but I wonder, could it work for any rum? Ive put in calls to the company, any im definetly calling the wrong people, as they dont know what Im talking about.

[Edward Hamilton]

After talking to a couple of the people who were involved in the selection of that glass I'm told that it does enhance the experience when drinking other full bodied rums. But there seems to be some reservation about saying that all rums taste better in this glass.

Personally, when I'm drinking aged Martinique rum, for example, which has one of the biggest flavor profiles I like a glass with a wide mouth so that the aromas aren't concentrated. I suggest trying several different glasses and making your own decision.

Riedel crystal glasses do help aerate wine and they generally add to the experience of drinking spirits.

[Count Silvio]

I think my nose would come in the way if drinking from a small mouthed glass like that. Just like Edward I prefer a wide mouthed glass.

I use Iittala Gaissa (http://www.finnishdesignshop.com/iittala-gaissa-tumbler-p-324.html?language=fi) glasses.

[Hank Koestner]

I have tried other glasses along the same lines, even "tasting" glasses. I use a wide mouth glass, also, and for rum I think this is better. I would like to have the flared glass to experiment with, but at $40 a copy,:eek: I think I will pass. I could purchase a bottle of rum for that amount.:o

[RobertBurr]

I have about a dozen of those Riedel (thank you Zacapa) tasting glasses used for the judging in Ybor City. They are great for emphasizing aromas with small samples of fine rums. Holding them up to the light is an excellent way to examie color, clarity and viscosity of products.

When I drink rum, especially on the rocks, I prefer the El Dorado tumbler glass that is flared open like a cone. My wife really likes the smaller Don Q tumbler which holds just the right amount of rum and several ice cubes and is a straight cylinder of smaller proportions.

We have some special plastic tasters that hold 1.5 and 3 ounces that are great for large tasting events.

[Paulipbartender]

Plastic glasses have got to be the way to go for big tasting events. Anyone who's had to polish 100+ ISO tasting glasses will agree......

[RumBarPhilly]

After all these responses, Im definitly gonna pick up some of those Riedel Vinum glasses. Currently we are using snifters and rocks glasses, but nothing a little "in between".

[Don Piero]

I use the glass shown below in the link for my whisky and now use it for my rum. For whisky, I prefer this glass over the Glencairn tasting glass as the kneck is thinner with the top being more flared, concentrating the aromas more in the bulb shape bottom. I have never tried a Rum glass.


http://www.celticmalts.com/shop/item.asp?itemid=1

[RumBarPhilly]

That glass on the far left looks and sounds great. Do you know if youve ever seen one with a shorter stem, more like a snifter? Glasses like that would be great for me bar, but with a stem that tall, breakage will be a bitch!

I did find a glass very much like the rum tasting glass, and I was somewhat unimpressed. I prewferred a snifter, perhaps as you said, because it was taller than it was wide.

[Edward Hamilton]

It sounds like there is no perfect glass for every rum and no perfect rum for every person. I usually enjoy several different rums in an evening. And since I wash my own glasses and don't have enough room for a lot of different glasses I tend to use only two or three different glasses.

Jimbo's glass fits several of the essential criteria: a wide mouth, holding enough spirit and being cheap enough to break. In general I stay away from stemware due to their high center of gravity and inherent propensity to tip over, break and spill their contents.

For tasting and writing reviews, I usually try a rum in at least a couple of different glasses, each of which tend to enhance different virtues of a rum. Sometimes you need to use a tall slender glass in order to discover some of the aromas. For rhum agricole, at 100 proof, a larger mouth glass is the only way, for me, to appreciate all the spirit has to offer.

And as Capn Jimbo observed, the amount of rum in the glass is also a factor when assessing a spirit.

[RobertBurr]

as Capn Jimbo observed, the amount of rum in the glass is also a factor when assessing a spirit.

That's why I love the little Riedel tasters from Zacapa. A small amount of spirit can be smelled, tasted and observed easily. The concentration of vapors is greatly accentuated, when you want that effect - as in tasting very small amounts of spirit.

Let's keep looking for rum's holy grail...

[Scottes]

I may have one of the "perfect" glasses then. Imagine Jimbo's choice as an Old Fashioned glass, but a little less bulbous. It holds about 4 oz, tremendously thick bottom, slightly rounded sides. I actually wouldn't mind it a bit smaller, to be honest, since I tend to pour small amounts - maybe 1 or 1.5 ounces at a time. But I do like the rounded sides for the reasons mentioned.

[The Rum Ambassador]

Gimme a big old fashion rocks glass for my rum. This means I'll get more in my glass....

[Tiare]

Gimme a big old fashion rocks glass for my rum. This means I'll get more in my glass....

Thatґs what i use...

[RumBarPhilly]

You mean wider than tall...

Before I start again, I must say this is a fantastic tasting glass, simply perfect for me. Great differentiation of aroma - high, low and in between, no overpowering, and it swirls easily and like there's no tomorrow. All due to the slight, squat tulip and a very wide (respectively) rim.

And the price? Sit down.

$299 for six. Naw, I'm kiddin. It's $29.90 for six, not bad. Naw, I'm kiddin. It's $2.99 each, now isn't that somethin! Naw, it's..

$2.99. For six. On sale at Ikea, an amazing store! At these prices your customers can break all they want. BTW, they do come in a shorter stem, which I achieved while too agressively cleaning one, lol...

Ikea... who wouldve thought i can stock my bar with ikea-ware...

[Tiare]

Do you have any pic of that glass Jimbo? maybe i should take the bus out to ikea some day..

[RumBarPhilly]

I like the taller one better, too bad we cant just swap the bases, eh?

[cbarbian19]

Apologies for reviving such an old thread but I thought that some may want to know that the Whiskey Exchange is having a promotion. If you buy either the Z23 or ZXO you can get one of the stemless Zacapa glasses for free. Unfortunately you can't buy JUST the glasses but its a good reason to pick up a great rum. party2.gif