Snifters are designed with inwardly-tapered rims to concentrate the vapors; a good Scotch is always better when you "drink" it with your nose before the fluid actually hits your lips. But the scent delivery is only part of the whisky-drinking experience, and a new design called the Norlan Whisky Glass makes the snifter look woefully primitive.

By harnessing the power of computational fluid dynamics and marrying it with intelligent design, the folks over at Norlan—including designer Sruli Recht, a man who seems determined to build a bewilderingly diverse portfolio—have devised a 21st-Century whisky glass that takes everything from aeration to sociology into account. Check out what they've come up with:

At press time, the Norlan's Kickstarter campaign had been live for less than 24 hours, yet was already nearly 50% funded ($35,000 towards a $75,000 goal). And I'm not ashamed to admit I took the time to pledge for four glasses ($68 now, $96 retail) before writing this entry, 'cause those early-birds are going fast!