Cheers! Kanpai! Santé! Proost! All over the world, people wish each other well and clink glasses before taking a sip of their drink. Whether at a party, a bar or at dinner with friends, drinking whisky or wine. Where does this tradition come from?
To get straight to the point: there is no clear answer to this question. There are various ideas about the origin of this toasting tradition, and there is no agreement about which one is correct. But that doesn’t really matter. Each story, fact or fiction, is an interesting one to discuss over drinks.
Toasting Tones
A number of theories focus on the sound of clinking glasses. One suggests it is a remain of medieval superstition. In the Middle Ages, many natural phenomena, for which we now have scientific explanations, were attributed to magic and supernatural beings like angels, demons, fairies and goblins. To keep the evil ones at distance, people would slam their drinks together to scare them off with the clatter.
Another states that toasting was a way for the rich to show they were wealthy enough to afford crystal drinking glasses. They would gently tap the glasses together, so their guests could hear the difference between the clear sound of crystal and the more dim sound of glass.
A third explains it as a way to include all your senses when enjoying a good drink. You feel the glass in your hand, you see the colour of the beverage with your eyes, you smell its aroma with your nose and you taste it in your mouth. By clinking, you involve your ears in this experience as well.
Poison Prevention
A different belief is that it all started at European courts during the Middle Ages. In those days, poisoning was not uncommon and as a member of the elite you had to be cautious. To prove that what they offered was safe, hosts would pour a bit of their guests drink in their own glass. Then, the drinking partners would clink to seal their trust.
Clinking Connection
An alternative explanation is that we clink to feel connected with each other. This theory finds its origin in medieval times as well. During special occasions, a communal cup would be passed around for everyone to take a sip. For hygienic reasons, this was later replaced by individual glasses. From then on, instead of drinking from the same cup, people clinked their glasses and drank simultaneously as a sign of unity and connectivity.
Whatever its origin, we toast to celebrate birthdays, weddings, business deals or cosy family evenings. To make it even more special, at Catawiki you can find some of the finest alcoholic beverages to toast with. Take a look at our wine, champagne, whisky or rum and spirits auction. You can also register to become a seller here for free and offer up bottles from you own cabinets or cellars for auction and who knows? Perhaps you could make a hearty profit that you can celebrate with a toast. Cheers!