[imagesource: Travis White/Getty]

Despite the fact that we can’t stock up on booze at the moment, thanks to the alcohol sales ban, I’m pretty sure the gin trend is here to stay.

It will be waiting for us as soon as sales resume.

Whether you’re lucky enough to still have a bottle of the good stuff stashed away at home, or you’re waiting until the ban is lifted, there’s no time like the present to master the perfect serve.

And by perfect serve, I mean the perfect glass, designed to elevate your classic G&T, gin cocktail, or martini (shaken, not stirred) to its full potential.

Over to Architectural Digest:

“I have always said that selecting the perfect glass for a gin drink is like choosing a pair of shoes for an evening. The experience of enjoying your gin cocktail will definitely be enhanced by the type of glass it is served in,” states Dimi Lezinska, Head Brand Advocacy and Partner at Stranger & Sons Gin.

From classic Highballs and Rock glasses, to Martini and Copa glasses, there are various different glasses available to serve your drink in.

Let’s take a look at a few of those, so that you can add them to your cart next time you’re shopping online.

Gin Tasting

In the before times, we spent a joyous afternoon tasting the Cape Town Gin range. Each of the gins we tried was presented to us in a tulip glass.

The ballon shape of the glass concentrates the aromas at the bottom and directs those aromas softly to the nose, which makes the tasting experience a pleasant one, as you can assess the quality of the gin in the best possible way.

We can confirm that the gin was of the highest quality.

Neat or ‘On The Rocks’

Some gins, and especially flavoured gins like the Cape Town Gin Rooibos Red and Pink Lady, need nothing more than a few blocks of ice to enjoy.

A Single Rock glass is usually used for neat drinks, whereas, a Double Rock glass is slightly bigger and is used for gin served over a little ice.

If you’re going to drink your gin neat, make sure to keep it in the freezer.

Classic G&T

The classic G&T went on a wild ride through history on its way to becoming the sundowner of choice for those with excellent taste.

To make your gin and tonic cocktails a bit more special, it’s good to use the Copa glass. This glass is often referred to as a Balloon glass, because of its shape. The word ‘Copa’ comes from the Spanish word for glass, and it was in fact the Spanish who started the trend of serving gin and tonic this way.

Don’t forget to add a slice of two of lime to really kick it up a notch.

The Martini

This one is a bit obvious – you should serve a martini in a martini glass.

The Martini glass was introduced in bars around 1925 as a ‘modern’ take on the Champagne Coupe glass. The wide brim of the glass allows the gin, which is the main ingredient in a Martini to release more aromas due to its larger exposed surface area.

Now you know.

Short Gin Cocktails

The Coupe glass, used for short cocktails, and the Martini glass work in the same way.

We use the Coupe glass for short cocktails because of its elegant design and its long stem and wide rim, which keeps the drink away from the warmth of your palm and keeps the cocktail cold for a longer time.

It also allows those aromas to fly free.

Quality is Key

The clarity of the glass is important, along with weight. A gin glass should be light and well balanced, while the stem should be slim but not too skinny. You can test the quality of your glass by giving it a tap. If it makes a long echo sound, similar to the sound of a bell, then you’re in business.

The quality of your gin also makes a difference. If you’re using a subpar gin, serving it in a fancy glass isn’t going to do anything to improve the taste.

When you can shop around again, look out for expertly made craft gins.

And while you’re at it, shop local.

[source:architecturaldigest]