I ordered these for my brothers birthday as a cost effective alternative to the Norlan glasses and I am IMPRESSED. I own a set of Nor... which I love (he owns one...shipping incident so I had a spare I gave him) and by examination these glasses are very comparable, but seem a little heavier which is nice. They also ship in a thick cardboard box packed with styrofoam, so my fears when I saw a bubble wrap soft package on my porch were quickly mitigated. No broken glass, which is more than I can say for my experiences ordering other fine glasses. The ice molds are a nice touch. Highly recommend.

I really like these glasses. They're lightweight (in a good way) and a pleasure to drink from. I like their feel and heft. The ridges on the bottom do enhance aroma when drinking neat. I have a set of Norlan as well (a gift) and they _are_ quite nice. However, when I looked into getting more, I thought these were a better value and worth trying. I'm not disappointed. There's a sweet spot for drinkware where the vessel does enhance the experience but they aren't so expensive that you cry when they break. These are solidly in that sweet spot.

My friend, Jim, and I tested the James Bentley glass against both Norlan and Glencairn glasses using three different scotches - a MacDuff 33, an Ardbeg 22, and The Gov'nor 38 blend. The JB glass is slightly shorter and rounder and the borosilicate appears to be thicker than the Norlan. Hopefully that also means it's more durable as Norlan cracks and breaks easily. The JB's curved exterior grooves also fit nicely in your hand. JB has three thicker fins or ridges in the bottom of the glass compared to Norlan's four smaller fins. The ability to enhance smell and taste by reducing the ethanol "burn" is almost exactly the same; any difference is largely imperceptible. They both outperformed the Glencairn in that regard. Although the two molds to make round ice cubes that fit the glass are a nice addition to the set, I prefer my scotch neat but will use them with other drinks just because they are interesting and fun - Moscow Mules anyone? I know Jim will definitely use them with his bourbons. I did notice that the seams on the JB glass weren't quite as "clean" as on the Norlan but since they're both hand-blown that may have been particular to the pair I received. A minor point in my opinion, anyway. I read over 100 reviews before purchasing and the thing that impressed me the most was the wonderful customer service whenever anyone experienced a problem. Being an artisanal product, every glass is not going to come out exactly the same - which is part of its charm. Regardless of the complaint, James Bentley responded quickly and comprehensively in every situation. I've emailed Norlan a few questions over the years and never received an answer. I highly recommend these glasses for the discerning whisky drinker. The clear winner: James Bentley! Keep up the great work, guys! I just ordered four more sets to share with friends. I drink, and I know things!