• The Second Amber Sweetgum whiskey cup showing warm amber grain sweeping across the full hand-turned form
  • The Second Amber Sweetgum whiskey cup showing natural exterior checks and varied amber grain
  • Alternate side of The Second Amber with diagonal Sweetgum grain and a small natural check near the lower edge
  • The Second Amber from another side showing intersecting natural checks and curved Sweetgum grain
  • Opening view of The Second Amber showing the broad rounded rim and deep dark Sweetgum interior
  • Bottom view of The Second Amber showing the turned foot and contrasting Sweetgum end grain
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The Second Amber — Sweetgum Whiskey Cup

The Second Amber — Sweetgum Whiskey Cup

Sweetgum · Hand-Turned · Whiskey Cup

$55.00 USD
$55.00 USD
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Story / Provenance

Long before Sweetgum became this vessel, the tree was known for another liquid.

Its botanical name, Liquidambar styraciflua, evokes the aromatic resin historically known as liquid amber. The resin traveled through centuries of ceremony, fragrance, and traditional use. In Appalachia, it was even combined with whiskey—an unexpected connection between this species and the spirit this cup was made to hold.

This Sweetgum grew much closer to home, at a place where knowledge is shared. I gathered the wood there and allowed it to season with its bark intact for more than two years before returning to it at the lathe.

The finished cup carries a quiet echo of the tree’s name and history. Dark redgum heartwood now surrounds a modified Glencairn-inspired interior shaped for whiskey—another liquid amber, held within the wood rather than drawn from it.

The tree first carried the name. The vessel gives it another meaning.

About This Piece

The Second Amber is a one-of-one whiskey cup hand-turned from locally gathered Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua). Its broad, substantial form places visual weight near the base, while its modified Glencairn-inspired interior creates a fuller lower chamber beneath a more restricted opening.

The cup is composed primarily of the species’ darker reddish-brown heartwood, commonly called redgum. Its character is quieter than the more strongly figured Sweetgum bowl made from the same tree: restrained color movement, fine texture, natural luster, and visible checks carried forward from seasoning.

The exterior checks remain part of the wood’s history. They do not pass through the vessel, and the walls were deliberately left substantial around them. They should be understood as naturally occurring features of this particular piece rather than decorative marks added afterward.

This wood was not stabilized or dyed. In my own workshop testing, the wood performs well with distilled spirits.

Details

Dimensions: Approx. 4⅛ inches wide × 3¼ inches tall
Wood: Sweetgum/Redgum (Liquidambar styraciflua)
Origin: Personally gathered from a local tree
Construction: Hand-turned
Interior: Modified Glencairn-inspired profile
Stabilization: None
Color: Natural—no dye
Surface Character: Naturally occurring exterior checks
Sanding and Finish Process: Walnut-oil sanding slurry
Availability: One of one
Care: Hand wash only. Do not soak or place in a dishwasher.

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