The Most Handsome Flask on the Market Has a Bigger Brother

By Geoff Nudelman September 25, 2016

upper cut flask

When we last reported on the fine wares from Nisnas Industries, their novel Kole flask was still in development and the Kickstarter was underway. Fast forward a year and the guys are back at the flask frontier with a larger model called The Upper Cut.

cd7212adda4ce67a26cc788c5829f8a7_original

This new six-ounce model retains the same stainless steel core draped in handsome wood for curb appeal and dexterous comfort. They’ve also added a larger cup to match the increase in size.

Related Videos

bc3526ef3353bb1faec397123db2e235_original

The Kole was heralded for its distinctive design and much of that carries over to its bigger brother. The flask is built with the drinking cup in mind meaning that the entire process is a genuine pleasure – from lid to pour.

At just over five inches tall and 2.4 inches wide, it’s a great size for morning coffee on the subway or afternoon green tea on the trail. As before, each Upper Cut is hand-made… individually(!) hand-made, meaning nothing’s chintzy here and quality is set to the umpteenth degree. The Upper Cut only comes in one wood color to start, but if the Kole is any indication, expect more finishes available as the product comes to market.

d7da22d92b7c909b8901758a19c21e92_original

According to their new Kickstarter, Upper Cuts should be ready to ship around the holidays. Looks like you’ll finally have something sleek to hide the Egg Nog in this year.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Food & Drink

9 Cinco de Mayo Drinks You Need in Your Life Right Now

Grapefruit Collins cocktail

Cinco de Mayo is on the horizon, and with it comes all of the festive, agave-driven cocktails you can imagine. These drinks -- which are so much more than just margaritas -- greet the holiday in style.

Whether you're full-on toasting to the Mexican Army's defeat of the French in the mid-19th century, or you're just looking to raise a glass, we have your Cinco de Mayo cocktail bases covered. These concoctions are cheery by nature, pretty in the glass, and delightful on your palate. And if a cocktail is not your thing and you're eager for cold beer or glass of rosé (better yet, try a Mexican wine) instead, so be it.

Food & Drink

Why Juneau, Alaska Might Be the Most Interesting Food City on the West Coast

Roma Bistro

Juneau is the capital of Alaska and a modest town of just over 30,000 full-time residents. It's also home to one of the most interesting food and drinks scenes in not only The Land of the Midnight Sun, but the entire American West Coast.
Jared Cure, owner of local cocktail hotspot The Narrows, says a lot of people like him are moving back to where they grew up, bringing with them fresh ideas and creative energy. “Juneau seems to be having a resurgence in the food and beverage scene over the last number of years,” he says. “It’s great to see in our remote part of the world.”

Preservation is a big part of the Alaskan way of eating. “From smoking salmon to canning berries, we’re always looking for ways to eat our local product year round,” he says. At his bar, that translates to spruce tips frozen each spring, rhubarb in the summer, and blueberries in the fall. It also means using glacial ice in cocktails.
“The Narrows was born out of a love for craft cocktails and spirits,” he adds. Cure spent a combined fifteen years in the foodie west coast towns of Portland and San Francisco before returning to Juneau. “That time in larger cities shaped my idea of what a bar could be. It’s an aggressive concept for a small remote town, but it’s a small enough bar that it works.”
One of Cure’s favorite and most Alaskan cocktail concoctions is the Blue Bear. It’s a mix of Bacardi Gran Reserve 10 Year, fresh mint, lemon juice, and house-made wild Alaskan blueberry syrup, topped with Fever Tree ginger beer. Better still, it’s poured over glacial ice chards.
“Some of my favorite spots in town include Seong’s for some wild Alaskan salmon sushi, Roma Bistro for a cocktail and an appetizer, and Red Spruce to see what Chef Nel has been working on,” Cure says.

Food & Drink

Pisco Cocktails are the Refreshing Balm You Need for the Dog Days of Summer

Pisco Sour Cocktail

When we think of “refreshing” cocktails, white spirits tend to immediately jump to mind. Vodka sodas, gin and tonics, anything involving white rum or blanco tequila...these are the libations we crave when temperatures spike and humidity levels reach unbearable extremes.

But if you’re looking to break from the norm and branch out a bit, bartenders across the country love to experiment with a different lightweight spirit: Pisco, a South American specialty hailing from Chile and Peru. An aromatic, gently sweet libation, Pisco makes a flavorful substitute for other white liquors, and its versatility earns it major points among mixologists and consumers alike.
What is Pisco?
Essentially, Pisco is a form of brandy (aka a spirit made from distilled grape-based wine). In both Peruvian and Chilean Piscos, grape juice is converted to wine, then processed through a still to boost the proof and transform it into liquor. Pisco is typically clear in color, and the biggest difference between Peruvian and Chilean varietals involves the necessary “purity” of the end product — Chilean Pisco makers can dilute their spirits and can run them through the still as many times as they like, while Peruvian distillers can’t add any flavorings to their product, and they can only process it through the still once per batch.