A neat glass

Post by Stefan of Tokyo Whisky Hub.


Very few whisky enthusiasts in Japan will be familiar with the NEAT glass, but that will hopefully change very soon. It doesn't happen so often that something completely revolutionizes the tasting experience of whisky, but the NEAT glass does exactly that.

NEAT stands for "Naturally Engineered Aroma Technology" - it's designed and made in the US, marketed by Arsilica Inc., and is quickly attracting followers all over the world. Those of us used to Glencairn or copita glasses will find the NEAT glass a completely different experience. As the acronym indicates, it was engineered to separate the ethanol and remove the punch of the alcohol to focus on the defining aromas of the whisky. It also offers a completely different experience for the palate. The wide rim has a kind of waterfall effect, spilling the liquid evenly over the tongue (and lips, as well!), which is very different from the usual channeling to the centre of the tongue that you get with Glencairn or copita glasses. This takes some getting used to - it kind of transports you back to your days as a toddler when you first started drinking from a cup - but it opens up a whole new dimension for the palate.

I compared the NEAT glass with Glencairn and copita glasses, using some reference malts that I thought I knew inside out. The results were fascinating, if a little unsettling: the reference malts were anything but reference in the NEAT glass. The malts seemed to completely redefine themselves and I picked up notes that I'd never found before. They revealed themselves in a completely different light, with much more intensity and depth in terms of aroma and taste and with much more overall presence and definition. Treat yourself to a set of NEAT glasses and you'll see what I mean - you won't regret it.