Crystal damask for whiskey - a worthy frame for a noble drink

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Imagine that you are sitting in a soft leather chair. A fireplace is burning nearby, the smoke of an expensive cigar fills the air with aroma. Outside the window, a cold winter evening, a snowstorm covers the area with snow, the wind howls in the chimney. The room is warm and cozy. To complete the picture, only a glass of good whiskey is missing. You take the bottle, open it… Stop! Drinking whiskey from a bottle? Yes, this is bad manners, gentlemen. For an exquisite drink, no less noble dishes are needed. Here it is - a crystal whiskey damask, standing in the center of the tray, paired with glasses rubbed to a shine. Isn't that right, handsome?

What is a whiskey damask?

Someone will say that this is a decanter, and they will be wrong. The shtof differs in size and volume. The decanter can have a volume of up to two liters and is distinguished by the characteristic shape of a cylinder. Closed with a lid or cork, used to supply water, vodka, wine and other drinks.

Damask for whiskey has thick tetrahedral walls. This vessel has a narrow neck, which is tightly closed with a cork tothe drink did not fade. The volume is not more than 1.3 liters. Although modern tableware manufacturers are experimenting with the shape of the vessel in a very unexpected way. For example, there are shtofs in the form of a ship or a saber. Such options are more likely to be gift items: it is somewhat inconvenient to use them in everyday life.

Where did the word damask come from?

Peter I should be thanked for the appearance of the word in Russia. It was he who developed glass production in the country. He sent masters to study in Europe and invited glassblowers of all stripes from abroad to work in Russia. Foreign craftsmen brought a new word with them.

In German, stof denoted a measure of the volume of alcoholic beverages, the literal translation is "a large mug". Interestingly, Russia had its own measure, which meant one tenth of a bucket, and was also called … "a mug." The word stuck, and soon they began to call them vessels for vodka.

What are damask and whiskey glasses made of?

Crystal. It is this glass that looks expensive and luxurious. The cost makes it even more presentable. European standards state that crystal should contain 24% lead oxide. The addition of this component gives the glass that very gentle sound, incredible transparency and shine.

The main component is quartz sand. At high temperatures, it is melted in furnaces, blowing masterpieces out of glass. Lead oxide makes the crystal more malleable, which is why glassblowers make carved glassware.

But in the famous Bohemian crystal, lead oxide is replaced with potassium-calcium glass. Perhaps this is the secret of its elegance and luxury?

Surely you have seen colored crystal in stores. It is made using the same technology, adding oxides of various metals. They give the glass different colorful shades.

Crystal glassware care

Have you purchased a bottle of whiskey? Crystal is an expensive pleasure, and there are several rules for caring for it:

• The very first and most important rule is room temperature. Hot water will not work - the product will simply fade from it.
• Gilded dishes should be washed only with vinegar solution so that all the beauty does not peel off. After washing, wipe with a soft cotton cloth.
• Glasses are held by the bottom or leg, so as not to accidentally break. If the crystal is washed in a container, you need to lay a soft, clean cloth on the bottom.
• And of course, all of the above must be done immediately, as it gets dirty.

What to do if the glass has lost its appearance?

Don't worry. We need a pair of female hands and our advice. It should have been written earlier. So, how do you get your whiskey damask and glasses back to presentability?

• The clouded damask must be carefully cleaned with coarse s alt, rinsed with warm water. Pressing hard will cause scratches.
• Dust stains will be removed with potato starch. Apply to a cloth, clean and shake off.
• If you didn't drink whiskey from glasses, but wine or juice, stains can be removed. Soak insoda solution, wash and rinse.
• The plaque on the bottom is eliminated with Pepsi! Pour, leave for half an hour and then according to the scenario.
• Crystal can only be washed with a gel-like product. No cleaning powders to scratch precious glass.
• The last step is always to dry with a lint-free cloth.

Damask for whiskey is a worthy decoration of a noble and refined drink. But still, I would like to wish that not only whiskey warmed you up on long winter evenings!