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Glencairn
Crystal Studios which is synonymous
amongst whisky drinkers for their Glencairn whisky tasting glass is
celebrating 40 years at the cutting edge
of crystal and glassware creation this
year.
The award-winning Scottish crystal
company, Glencairn Crystal Studio, is
celebrating 40 years at the cutting edge
of crystal and glassware creation this
year, the company is synonymous with
what is surely now the world's favourite
whisky glass, the Glencairn Glass.
I doubt there is any seasoned whisky
enthusiast in the world who doesn't have
at least one Glencairn Glass in their
cupboard, the glass is best described as
the perfect balance between a sturdy
whisky tumbler and a tulip shaped whisky
tasting glass which has been designed to
fully appreciate the whisky in the
glass.
Glencairn Crystal Studio was founded
back in 1991 by Raymond Davidson, it is
probably best known today for its sturdy
wee Glencairn Whisky Glass, but it has
also become a world expert in the
design, creation and manufacture of
high-end crystal and glassware. Now the
market leader in the production of
containers for some of the worlds’
rarest and most exclusive whiskies and
spirits, Glencairn Crystal will be
celebrating four decades of innovation
by showcasing some of its most
successful and pioneering decanters.
As a family firm Raymond’s ethos for his
business was to focus on the needs of
the customer and to build the crystal
decanter side of Glencairn – leading the
way in spirits packaging and creativity.
Raymond believed that decanters had an
important role to play in the whisky and
spirit world. His vision was to use
pioneering innovation and craftsmanship
to enhance the presentation of his
customers’ brands, adding value to any
whisky (or any other spirit) contained
within a Glencairn Crystal decanter.
Since then the business has gone from
strength to strength creating some of
the drinks industry’s most prestigious
and ground-breaking decanters, whilst
still remaining a family run business -
now run by Raymond’s sons, Paul and
Scott Davidson.
Over the years Glencairn Crystal has
designed, created and delivered
decanters to hold the world’s oldest
whisky, the world’s oldest port and the
world’s oldest rum. Other memorable
crystal decanters produced have ranged
from a decanter sitting on a stunning
engraved silver crown, appearing to
float on only four points of contact, to
breathtaking vessels embedded with
precious rubies and sapphires. The
combination of high-profile brands and
revolutionary design and production
processes has ensured that Glencairn
Crystal has truly established itself as
a world expert in decanter design,
innovation and creativity within the
spirits industry.
To mark this special birthday,
throughout 2021 the team at Glencairn
Crystal will be releasing fascinating
‘behind the scenes’ decanter stories
from the four decades and showcasing
their decanter projects which truly
‘capture the spirit’ of what their
talented craftspeople have achieved over
the last 40 years. The stories will be
hosted on the Glencairn Crystal website,
via Glencairn’s social media channels
and supported with podcasts featuring
interviews with key figures in the
whisky industry involved in the
projects.
The birthday will also be marked later
this year with the official opening of
the new expanded Glencairn Crystal
Studio site in East Kilbride, Glasgow,
which has been delayed due to the
pandemic. With an investment of over a
million pounds the new-look premises
include a stunning refurbishment, a new
brand-orientated reception and a
substantial new build on the original
Glencairn site to cater for expanding
demand. All the building and design work
has been done by local Glasgow-based
businesses.
Raymond Davidson, Founder of Glencairn
Crystal, commented: "When I started
Glencairn Crystal in 1981 it was my
ambition to create the most innovative,
creative and impressive crystal
decanters for the drinks industry. We
started off as a small business with
everyone in the family rolling up their
sleeves to get involved.
"I couldn’t be prouder of everyone at
Glencairn and what we have achieved
together in the last forty years. In
terms of our decanters I’d like to thank
our customers for trusting us with such
rare and beautiful spirits. Though we
have grown to a team of over 70 staff
now, our family values and customer
relationships are still at the core of
everything we do and we continue to lead
the world in creating ground-breaking
design and developing unique techniques
that delight our customers.
Scott Davidson, Glencairn Crystal’s New
Product Development Director, commented:
"Last year was an important year for us
with the 20th anniversary of our iconic
Glencairn Glass for whisky, however this
is also a momentous year for us as we
pay homage to 40 years of Glencairn
Crystal since my father started the
company in 1981. We could not have built
the business without our talented and
passionate team, including the best
craftspeople in the industry, some of
whom have over 30 years experience in
working with crystal. We look forward to
continuing to lead the market in
crystal, glass and container innovation
and craftsmanship, whilst working with
friends and colleagues across the
industry."
You will find the Glencairn whisky glass as well as water jugs available from specialist
online whisky retailers such as
The Whisky Exchange,
The Whisky Shop and
Master of Malt
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