A Guide to Wine and Whiskey Decanter Sets

There are things in the world that are just not necessary – the appendix in the body, Jack having to die in Titanic, Drake’s song I’m Upset, and wine and whiskey decanters. You can do away with all of these things and you would still be good but their presence still makes for a nice addition.

Decanters have never had a major import to our consumption of wine and whiskey but they remain a mainstay in the wine and whiskey culture. In fact, it is impossible to watch a Hollywood movie with a man in an office without a decanter set on his table – frankly, it is impossible.

There are majorly two benefits to the decanting of wine and whiskey – aeration and removal of sediments. There are other benefits but those benefits are minor compared to these two. Ultimately, the need for use of wine decanters and whiskey decanters has been attributed to beauty and aesthetics.

Decanting comes with some risks. In the process of pouring wine or whiskey into or out of the decanter set, the drink gets exposed to air. It is at this junction that we need to separate wine decanter sets and whiskey decanter sets. While they may serve same purpose, there are many underlying differences in their design, risks and ultimate purpose.

First we take a look at wine decanter sets.

Wine Decanter Sets

The case for decanting wine is justified for two reasons.

First, aeration – a decanter allows for the breathing of the wine itself, which in turn allows flavors, notes and aromas of the wine to become more expressed. Second, is the earlier mentioned reason – decanting wine allows for the removal of sediments within a bottle of old wine, or vintage.

As much as there is a valid point in the argument as to the needlessness of wine decanters, the above reasons makes the need for them greater. Enjoying wine is more than just sipping wine and feeling good about 10-15% alcohol content. No, there is an art to it, a certain element of finesse that are exemplified by the pouring, the flavors, notes and even wine glasses. So yes, wine decanters are necessary.

Another reason for which decanting is necessary is the removal of bottle smell. This is not a major importance as the previous but an important one in some occasions. New/young bottle of wines sometimes comes with a certain egg-like smell that can be offensive. Due to the way wines are made and wine glasses are designed, the smell doesn’t just leave – you can actually perceive it as the wine gets closer to your mouth. So what do you do? Use a wine decanter set.

How to properly use wine decanter sets?

If decanting is done properly, your wine (especially red wine) tastes better, trust me on this. Here are the steps to proper use of wine decanters.

- Ensure the sets are clean before use.
- Have a taste of the wine to determine the length of aeration. This is done by pouring in a glass before decanting.
- Slowly pouring of wine (angle of 45 degrees is ideal) into the wine decanter. The wine stream is to hit all the sides of the decanter, even the opposite sides.
- Tip the wine bottle up to a point that the sediment reaches the shoulder of the wine bottle.

With all these, you are good to go.

White Wine and Decanting

Red wines are usually more associated with decanting and there is a reason for this. White wines have lesser tannin content that reds. The main reason to decant white wine is to reduce the bubble but some people enjoy their sparkling wine with bubbles.

Also, aeration of white wine for a long period of time could ruin the wine. The aromas and notes of the wine are ruined by long exposure to air.

The last reason is that white wines do not leave a much sediment, which is if they do at all.

Aeration is still the major function of using a wine decanter but this should be done within a shirt amount of time, preferably not exceeding thirty minutes.

Types of wine decanters

There are several wine decanter brands in the world but here are some of the most widely used and popular brands at the moment.

- Fusion
- Spiegalau
- Bella Vino Wine Decanter

Whiskey Decanter Sets

The second art of this guide is about whiskey decanter sets. If aeration and removal of sediments are the two major benefits of decanting, then they are not so needful when it comes to whiskey. Whiskey generally doesn’t leave sediments as it begins to age, and as a result of the nature of the drink, exposure to air is not necessary.

As we have pointed out, the ultimate goal for the use of whiskey decanters is beauty. Yes, our need to look good at all things is what drives the use of whiskey decanters.

It is just a better sight to see one keeping whiskey decanter sets in their homes or offices (for some reason, we prefer them in our offices – so much for professionalism). There is no denying the aesthetic feel and allure to the design, use and sight of a whiskey decanter sets. They are beautiful!

As a result of the suckers for beauty that we are, whiskey decanters are here to stay. So here are some whiskey decanters to choose from.

Schott Zwiesel Triton Crystal

A crystal clear whiskey decanter that can take up to 0.7 liters of whiskey. The decanter is made from lead-free material making it even safer for use.

Ravenscroft Crystal Beveled Blade Decanter

One of the most popular whiskey decanter brands in the world. This particular decanter can take up to a liter of whiskey at a time. Lead free, European made and clear crystal are some of the perks of this decanter.

J A Campbell Cut Spirit Decanter

Going for as much as $400, this is one the luxury brands of whiskey decanters. This lead free crystal clear decanter comes with a stopping cork.

Tartan Oval Shape Whiskey Decanter

The shape of this particular decanter makes it attractive when placed on the table – it is hard to miss. It also gives it a larger capacity than other decanters on this list.

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