When is a glass a tumbler? The answer lies in a mystery about an ancient round-bottomed cup from the mid 1600s, the original tumbler or acrobat in old German. One theory is the original round bottomed tumbler would fall over and spill its contents if set down on a table. The other theory is these old round bottomed cups were actually designed to roll but remain upright, so they would right themselves if knocked over. Nobody really knows the truth, although the second explanation seems more likely. Clearly, the less liquid in the tumbler, the less it would roll, hence perhaps it’s popularity with short drinks like spirits? We may never know.
In the modern sense, a tumbler has a solid and thankfully flat bottom, weighted to provide stability with a wide base in proportion to its height. Our tumblers are hand made and engraved by master craftsmen in Somerset, in traditional leaded crystal to give it the customary feel of high quality glassware and a fiery sparkle as the light strikes it. These tumblers have a hand engraved pattern and subtle frosting to add a modern twist to the classic, gemstone style cuts in the glass. They are also designed to be supremely stable and easy to grip, ensuring these tumblers don’t tumble. A perfect Christmas gift for connoisseurs of fine digestif, classic cocktails and rare spirits.