Glassware

Brandy Snifter

A brandy snifter is a balloon of glass on a short stem, wide in the bowl and narrower at the mouth, and our guidance is 18 to 30cl, though balloon versions run far larger. It is for aged spirits sipped neat in pours of 25 to 50ml: the broad base gives it room to open and the tighter mouth keeps its smell in. Cognac, armagnac, calvados and aged rum all suit it.

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An empty brandy snifter with a wide, rounded bowl narrowing towards the rim, on a short stem and round foot, against a white background.

The tool

About the Brandy Snifter

A Wide Bowl Under a Narrow Rim

A snifter swells out from a short stem and draws in again at the rim. A small pour spreads across the wide base, where it gives up its smell, and the narrower opening holds that smell over the spirit.

Size changes how well it works. In a bowl of 18 to 30cl, our guidance, the space over a 30ml pour stays small enough to fill with aroma; in a 70cl balloon, the same pour is lost.

Warming Is Optional, Flames Are Not

The short stem lets the bowl rest in the palm, and the old habit was to warm the spirit that way. Much modern tasting advice prefers room temperature and the stem, because warmth sharpens the alcohol on the nose.

Never warm the glass over a candle or a flame. Uneven heat can crack thin glass, and the alcohol vapour it drives off can catch light.

The snifter beside other glasses for neat spirits (Glencairn’s figures from its own site; rocks glass from our shop; the snifter our guidance)

Brandy snifter

Usual size: 18-30cl (our guidance)
Shape: Wide bowl, short stem
Suits: Cognac and aged spirits after dinner

Glencairn

Usual size: 200ml (Glencairn)
Shape: Tulip on a solid base
Suits: Nosing whisky and rum

Sherry copita

Usual size: 170ml (Glencairn’s copita)
Shape: Small tulip on a stem
Suits: Sherry, port and nosing spirits

Rocks glass

Usual size: 26cl (our shop)
Shape: Short, heavy tumbler
Suits: Spirits over ice

Glass	Usual size	Shape	Suits
Brandy snifter	18-30cl (our guidance)	Wide bowl, short stem	Cognac and aged spirits after dinner
Glencairn	200ml (Glencairn)	Tulip on a solid base	Nosing whisky and rum
Sherry copita	170ml (Glencairn’s copita)	Small tulip on a stem	Sherry, port and nosing spirits
Rocks glass	26cl (our shop)	Short, heavy tumbler	Spirits over ice

Pour Small and Swirl Slowly

Between 25 and 50ml is right, though it looks thin in the bowl. Swirl slowly, since a wide bowl throws a brisk swirl over the rim, and give the spirit a minute before the first sip.

Wash it by hand with very little detergent and rinse it well, so nothing on the glass competes with the spirit.

Using it

Using the Brandy Snifter

Usage

Cognac, armagnac, calvados, aged rum and other aged spirits served neat, in pours of 25 to 50ml, and strong, aromatic beers such as barley wine in small measures. The stem is short enough for the bowl to rest in the palm.

Pro Tip

It is often said that a well-made snifter, laid on its side on a table, holds a full pour without spilling. Try it with water before the cognac goes in: it is a quick way to find the right measure for your glass.

Professional Tips

Pour 25 to 50ml; the glass should look nearly empty.
Swirl gently, since the wide bowl spills easily.
Hold the stem to keep the spirit as it is; cup the bowl to warm it slightly.
Never warm a snifter over a flame.

Alternatives

Budget Alternative

A little wine glass that closes in at the top serves an aged spirit well, and a sherry copita gathers the smell even more tightly.

Premium Option

A thin crystal snifter, or a tulip-shaped spirits glass with a longer stem. Both feel lighter in the hand; neither changes the spirit.

Specifications

Material
Glass or crystal
Capacity
18 to 30cl by our guidance; balloon versions reach 50cl or more
Details
A wide, round bowl that narrows to the rim, on a short stem and a round foot

Go further

More to explore

Common Questions

What is a brandy snifter for?

Sipping aged spirits neat: cognac, armagnac, calvados and aged rum. The wide bowl gives a small pour a broad surface to release its smell, and the narrower rim holds that smell in the glass, under your nose at each sip.

Should you warm a brandy snifter?

Not over a flame. Cupping the bowl in your hand warms the spirit a little, and some drinkers like it. Much modern tasting advice prefers room temperature and holding the stem, because warming lifts the alcohol on the nose faster than the rest of the aroma.

How much do you pour in a snifter?

Between 25 and 50ml. In a glass of 18 to 30cl, our guidance, that looks almost empty, and it should. Keep the level under the bowl's widest point, so there is space over the spirit for its smell to gather.

What else can you serve in a snifter?

Aged rum, calvados, armagnac and older whiskies all suit it, as do strong, aromatic beers such as barley wine or imperial stout in small measures. Avoid long or fizzy drinks: a broad surface lets bubbles go, and the round bowl is awkward with ice.

Snifter or tulip glass for cognac?

Either works. A tulip, with a longer stem and a tighter rim, concentrates the smell more and is what many tasters now prefer. A snifter suits a slow pour after dinner. Avoid very large snifters, where a small pour is lost in the bowl.

What size is a brandy snifter?

Our guidance is 18 to 30cl, though balloon glasses of 50cl or more are sold. Bigger is not better here: a 30ml pour in a very large bowl has so much air over it that the smell spreads thin before it reaches you.

Can a brandy snifter go in the dishwasher?

Some can, but a thin bowl on a short stem knocks against the rack and clouds over time. A hand wash with the least detergent you can manage, then a thorough rinse, keeps it clear and free of any smell that would compete with the spirit.

Is a snifter good for whisky?

It works, though many whisky drinkers prefer a smaller tulip such as a Glencairn, which holds the smell more tightly at a narrower rim. A snifter suits an older whisky drunk slowly after dinner, poured at 25 to 50ml.

Sources.

Correct as of 18 October 2026.

Glencairn Crystal, “The Glencairn Glass” (200ml).
Glencairn Crystal, “Glencairn Copita” (170ml).
Jerry Can Spirits shop, “Club ICE Tumbler, 26cl”.

Make something

Made with the Brandy Snifter

Related Equipment

Updated 18 October 2026

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