The NEAT™ Glass

The NEAT™ Glass

Lets True Aromas of Fine Spirits Shine Through…

Naturally Engineered Aroma Technology is how this unique and incredibly effective whiskey glass got its name. Rather than starting with aesthetics, the designers started by addressing how alcoholic spirits waft up from traditional glassware shapes. These shapes direct all the alcohol, including ethanol, toward the nose. Ethanol (the “whiskey smell”), overshadows and masks the subtle, delectable aromas generally described in tasting notes, not to mention the brutish effect it has on your sensitive, aroma-detecting neurons. The NEAT glass is made in the USA of 100% Crystalin crystal, and, in short, is just plain neat.

To learn more, visit: http://www.theneatglass.com

REVIEWS

Review #001

This glass really works! In nearly 20 years as a single malt Scotch educator, many of them working for very well-known brands, I now realize I’ve never really smelled what the tasting notes (and company-speak) described. I mean REALLY SMELLED THE LIQUID. Now, there is a focus – rather than “spicy”, I now smell nutmeg; rather than “floral”, I now smell lavender; rather than “sweet”, I now smell caramel, and rather than “peaty”, I now smell a wet, earthy bog. Fantastic! The NEAT glass does for my olfactory senses what cataract surgery did for my vision – opened a whole new world. The glass’s shape is not only beautiful; it reminds me of the stills in Scotland where whisky is born. And, not just for my beloved single malts … I’m now beginning to appreciate what folks rave about with tequila and Bourbon.

Review by Ray Pearson 

Review #002

I am smelling the desert, the Agave plant has a certain taste. The NEAT glass certainly allows me to really taste spirits with a much different 1st impression than offered by a regular glass. The sweet spot to the glass is when you realize that you can actually enjoy the spirit without adding any water, ice, or mix.

The NEAT glass delivers spirits the same way a wine glass delivers the aromas of a wine… and that is what this glass is for more than anything, picking up the aromas of fine spirits.

To review the function of the NEAT glass, I sampled South Carolina Backwoods Bourbon by Vickers Brothers… not over powering and a sweet smell – I can actually enjoy the Bourbon as a refreshing drink. Next stop for my NEAT glass: tequila! I imagine an excellent finish on a typically tart, almost bitter, finish.

Currently, the NEAT™ glass is sold on-line at (enter Special Offer Code 50743 on the order form to receive the special intro offer.)

Review by Mari-Lyn Harris 

Review #003

I was reviewing Vickers Brothers Cane-Corn American Whiskey anyway, so it was a perfect time to review the NEAT™ Spirits glass as well.

I poured a 1-ounce shot in a standard shot glass, an ounce in a bucket, and an ounce in the NEAT™ Spirits glass. The aroma coming from the former two glasses, the classic glasses you are served in most settings, was pretty standard—warm and sweet, a little too sweet and then dropped off rather quickly. But from the Neat glass, the aroma came in delicate waves… each intake different from the last. This path of scent, actually made for a noticeably more intense tasting experience than that coming from the two standard glasses, so I quickly ditched those and focused on the glass with Naturally Engineered Aroma Technology. After all, years of independent GCMS studies and panel evaluations led to the creation of this glass. And, indeed, it is a strikingly different vessel.

What really struck me was how different characteristics took front stage depending on where I held the glass in reference to my nose. Out of the left nostril at the top of the rim… maple? And the right nostril at the base of the rim… oak… and everywhere, the obvious scent of alcohol (ethanol) was subdued completely, letting the components themselves shine. …And low and behold, a subtle hint of orange peel. YUM!

Just as complex as our olfactory system is, so is the complexity of what emanates from the glass. At times, I almost felt like I was drinking from a miniaturized crystal wine decanter. An awesome, magic tasting glass.

Review by Stefanie Payne 

Review #004

The NEAT glass is so cute. It’s shaped like a pot still, with a rounded body and a flaring rim. But it’s not designed to be cute-that’s a side effect. The shape has been carefully engineered to allow ethanol, which overpowers the nose with strong alcohol vapors, to float away so that you can detect the true aromas of the spirit in the glass. The shape also allows you to swirl freely without spilling.

I tested the NEAT glass with a premium tequila. For comparison, I poured some into the typical tall, narrow shot glass that is used in Mexico. If you watch Mexican telenovelas (soap operas) or movies, you have seen the stars tossing back shot after shot of tequila from this type of glass.

Then I poured some into the NEAT glass and gave each the sniff test. The Mexican shot glass gave off a blast of hot, prickly aromas. Then I tried the NEAT glass and experienced no burning sensation in my nose. Just as promised, the harsh ethanol was gone.

So the NEAT glass, which is made of handblown, lead-free crystal, is an improved vehicle for the serious appreciation of fine spirits. I wasn’t as successful with tasting, though. I found the shape a little awkward, as the flaring lip pressed against my face so that I couldn’t take a smooth, graceful sip. For drinking, the ordinary shot glass
won out.

Review by Barbara Hansen, www.tableconversation.com & www.eatmx.com

Review #005

I put the glass to the test sipping some Vickers Brothers South Carolina Backwoods Recipe Cane-Corn Spirit with Honey. The Neat glass amply showcases the liquor’s distinct lightly sweet corn undertones. It allows you plenty of time to savor all aspects of the nose. The lip actually prevents too quick of a toss-back literally pouring it in front of your nose as you gradually imbibe. Another added benefit of this design is that the liquor is aerated by being diffused in a thin layer across the glass. It’s apparent that this glass is made by somebody who really knows their sipping…cognacs, whiskeys, scotches…are all just as much about the aroma as the taste. The bouquet is really a magical prelude to the actual taste.

Review by Steve Mirsky 

Review #006

My first though on seeing the NEAT glass was, “what a cool-looking glass”. When I picked it up, the first thing I noticed was that no matter how you hold it, it just feels right in your hand, and it’s almost spill proof; great for swirling your drink around.

As to the most important aspect of the glass; nosing your whisky, there is a discernible improvement in the range of aromas you can detect and the smell of alcohol is dissipated, making for a more enjoyable experience.

Review by Paul Bissett 

Review #007

I’m a traditionalist when it comes to glasses – I expect my champagne in a flute and my whiskey in a broad-based cut-crystal tumbler – so when I was handed an aged whiskey in a small vase, I was frankly, a little skeptical. Why would anyone put a classic spirit in something that looked more suited to a nightlight than a nightcap?

Here’s my answer – because it tastes, smells and serves significantly better in this scientifically designed glass. After all, if you are spending $40 plus on a special blended malt whiskey or barrel-aged bourbon, it makes sense that you want to maximize the experience with all the senses – touch, taste, sight and smell. This glass, with its bulbous base, narrowing neck and splayed lip, is designed to let the ethanol fumes escape, leaving the pleasant whiskey aroma to linger, pleasing both nose and palate.

As for the glass itself – it is delightful to look at, even if it does not immediately bring whiskey to mind. . I would love to say that the glass is “neat” – because that’s the first word that springs to mind, but that word has already been coined, so I’ll have to be more explicit. Ultra-thin, hand-made and craftsman-blown in the traditional manner, it is made of 100% lead-free Crystalen crystal, and its pedigree shows. It cups beautifully in the hand, inviting you to swirl and cosset it between sips. For a woman’s hand it was perfect – light and easy to hold. The narrower neck is perfectly placed for fingers to cup and secure it whilst socializing. Having said that, I questioned its size with a couple of male seasoned whiskey connoisseurs and they confirmed the glass size was a good fit in their larger palms too.

I discovered one teeny downside to this glass, and that was that you had to tip the glass right up to get the last drop, but that problem is simply rectified. Pour me another, barman, and make it a double!

Review by Gillian Birch

Review #008

When it comes to spirits, the term “neat”, more common in British English, refers to drinking a liquor undiluted and at ambient temperature. It’s a way to savor the best without the distraction or interaction with anything else.

The NEAT glass, with a cleverly crafted acronym for Naturally Engineered Aroma Technology, is more than a double entendre. It’s glassware designed by applying scientific principles to the process of nosing and tasting. And this short, round crystal glass with a tapered neck and flared rim resembles the shape of a still, to boot.

You can impress your friends with your scientific sophistication by dropping terms like evaporation chamber, density stratification, vapor pressure of spirits, and index of refraction of the lead-free crystal. The NEAT glass was designed in consultation with the Chemistry Department at the University of Nevada using Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry.

Alcohol, with its anesthetic properties, is lighter than air. The bowl of the glass is engineered to maximize swirling area and molecules in motion. Heat from the hand enhances the process. Ethanol evaporates and heavier, more subtle, and pleasing aromas remain to provide the greatest drinking pleasure.

This spiritual journey is best taken slowly, letting the aromas come to you. So swirl, rest, swirl again. Enjoy the aromas emanating from the tapered neck and “sweet spot”. Since smell and taste are so intricately linked, leave the mouth slightly open to allow vapors to enter when you inhale to maximize the sensory experience.

That’s what it’s all about.

Review by Linda Fasteson

Review #009

I enjoyed the look and feel when holding the small, round NEAT glass. It made those first sips of a good whiskey more inviting. I shared the glass with a trained mixologist friend, and his comments were similar to mine – smooth and neat. This glass distinguishes itself from the rest.

Review by Brenda Hill

Review #010

My NEAT glass arrived in the mail with a sample of Vickers Brothers Whisky. Hmmm? Not the time for a quick pop in the name of product review though, I was off to visit my family in Seattle so I tossed the box into my bag and drove away.

I’m so glad I brought it and took my time to give it a chance to impres me. Turns out my Seattle son-in-law is a whisky fancier and he was just the right person to explain the nuances of a whisky glass and the whisky. I must say he does have an appreciation for the use of a proper vessel. After dinner we settled down to a serious tasting.We tasted the Vickers Brothers out of two different glasses that he set up.

I preferred the NEAT glass. It brought out floral and honey notes with a residual smokiness that was not overpowering. I’d say it brought out the nuances of the Vickers Brothers Whisky to my palate and to my nose just perfectly. My son-in-law likes a “thicker taste”; more dense with smoke and wood and none of the floral notes, so he drinks his in what he calls “an oversized, simple, Libbey shot glass” ( although knowing well his wife, my daughter, it was most likely French crystal!). But for me the clear winner is my NEAT glass with two fingers of Vickers Brother Whisky. Now anyone got a Cuban?

Review by Michelle M. Winner

Review #011

Curious, isn’t it, how we build confidence to share culinary opinions? Tastings at wineries, pairings with chefs and sommeliers at smart eateries. Then appears a glass engineered by chemists. Science and math to alert my senses to the workings of my taste buds. And my nose. This is about alcohol after all, and the carefully engineered glass named NEAT purports to dissipate alcohol away from my nose.  That, says chemists at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas, shapes the flavor.

Now, because of this glass, I’m a bit hung up over the shape of my nose.

Seems mine is smaller than the illustration in the NEAT brochure so perhaps I’m not finding what they call the “sweet spot” for maximum effect.

Full disclosure suggests saying I have a fused neck so tipping back is a bit of a challenge and the shape of this glass calls for extra neck bend to savor the last drops.

The glass is lovely, hand-crafted, mouth blown, lead free, crystal clear. A little pot of art, gracefully shaped. Equally pretty in the butler’s pantry: empty, with spirits, supporting short-stemmed flowers. $19 each. Several even lovelier grouped as functional art.

I’d recommend tastings with friends, comparing a fine cognac in the NEAT glass and an ordinary one. Or a preferred aperitif or whiskey… How many glasses do you need? How many friends for the party?

Add in the word association game too because NEAT stands for Naturally Engineered Aroma Technology.

Review by Christine Tibbetts

Review #012

I had the opportunity to try the NEAT Glass with some very peaty Scotch. I was quite impressed with the aromas produced at the glass’ “sweet spot.” After adding a few drops of water to the Scotch, the nose grew even richer, as I would expect.

I think there’s something inherently “feminine” about the glass’ form. As a woman, I enjoyed holding it and found the shape to be appealing and intriguing.

I imagine drnkers of subtler Scotch or Irish whiskeys would see an even greater difference between regular glasses and the NEAT Glass, and I’m looking forward to experimenting with other spirits.

Review by Gayle Keck