Cheers, Austin!
I’m loving a new set of rocks glasses that a company called Well Told shipped to me for testing.
The 11-ounce glasses – the perfect size for a shot of whiskey over a giant cube of ice – come etched with a map from whatever city you choose.
I picked Austin, but think it might be cool to get a glass from some of my favorite destinations, like Telluride, Colorado, Fiji or Mount Whitney at the end of the John Muir Trail.
Besides the rocks glasses, Well Told makes wine glasses, pint glasses, coffee mugs, pocket flasks and insulated tumblers that can be customized with maps.
The designs are subtle, and hard to photograph. But it’s fun to sip from one and think about the time you spent in the city mapped on its surface.
The basic rocks glasses start at $17.95; a gold leaf version (with a more visible map) costs $23.95.
The company started in 2009 as Uncommon Green. It changed its name to Well Told in 2019 and began focusing on drinkware customized with maps.
Founder Brian Johnson was living in Boston and working as an engineer when he came up with the idea. He brought in three college friends, and they began marketing their products to a wider audience.
A portion of proceeds is donated to charities. In 2013, the company produced a special Boston Strong pint glass etched with the route of the Boston Marathon. Profits were donated to survivors of the marathon bombing.
The company has since supported more than 200 non-profit organizations, from animal shelters to public schools to organizations like Habitat for Humanity.