A
snifter—also called balloon or Bauble—is a type of
stemware, a short-stemmed
glass whose main vessel has a wide bottom that narrows at the top. It is often used to serve
brandy, though it can also be used to serve
tequila or
sambuca (the sambuca is sometimes served with 3
coffee beans). The large surface area helps evaporate the brandy into aroma, while the narrow opening helps to trap the aroma of the drink in the glass. The glass is usually able to hold between 180-240 ml (6-8 oz) but one should pour only 60-90 ml (2-3 oz) at a time.
"Snifter" is a British colloquialism for a small amount of alcohol in a glass.