The Most Handsome (and Handmade) Barware You Can Own

Key ingredient? Beautiful Vermont hardwood.

By The Editors
April 20, 2016 9:00 am

You wouldn’t serve a four-star meal on, say, styrofoam.

So you shouldn’t serve a four-star whiskey out of a decade-old Crate & Barrel rocks glass.

The quality of your barware should befit the spirit inside of it. And a little old-school American know-how will help provide that.

Introducing the Ludlow Collection, a new collab between two of Vermont’s finest craftsmen: Simon Pearce, glassmakers extraordinaire, and Vermont Butcher Block and Board Company, makers of beautiful cherry and walnut edge grain cutting boards.

The Ludlow Collection — featuring hand-blown glasses with walnut bases that will handsomely accent your bar cabinet — fuses the strengths of both.

Simon Pearce pride themselves on practicing old-world techniques for glass blowing, utilizing wood molds (same as they did the 1700s), beech blocks, recycled wet newspaper, shears and tongs. And each piece — tasting glasses, carafes, whiskey decanters — is crafted to fit into a walnut base handmade by Vermont Butcher Block.

The collaboration wasn’t limited to drinkware, however: the wood/glass collection also includes a wooden photo frame, a decorative cross and even the world’s most unusual tic-tac-toe set.

Infinitely more interesting after a couple of whiskey sips.

Nota bene: Looking for other handsome barware? We’ve got three sets for completely different budgets.

For the pint glass that’ll inspire a mountain climb: North Drinkware, handcrafted beer glasses that take inspiration from the mountain ranges (and shapes) of the Pacific Northwest.

For campers with style: Fred & Friends offers camping rocks cups made of “unbreakable enameled steel that can handle five o’clock in any backcountry.” Handsome, too.

For the extravagant-minded drinker steeped in cocktail history: Cocktail Kingdom, makers of some of the world’s best-looking cocktail shakers that nod to history. Their limited-edition Reserve line features everything from black diamond bar spoons to the world’s most aggressive juicer.

MEET US AT YOUR INBOX. FIRST ROUND'S ON US.

Join America's Fastest Growing Spirits Newsletter THE SPILL. Unlock all the reviews, recipes and revelry — and get 15% off award-winning La Tierra de Acre Mezcal.