{"product_id":"the-second-amber-sweetgum-whiskey-cup","title":"The Second Amber — Sweetgum Whiskey Cup","description":"\u003ch3\u003eStory \/ Provenance\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLong before Sweetgum became this vessel, the tree was known for another liquid.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts botanical name, \u003cem\u003eLiquidambar styraciflua\u003c\/em\u003e, evokes the aromatic resin historically known as \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/ufi.mgcafe.uky.edu\/treetalk\/ecobot-sweetgum\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003eliquid amber\u003c\/a\u003e. 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tree first carried the name. The vessel gives it another meaning.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAbout This Piece\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Second Amber is a one-of-one whiskey cup hand-turned from locally gathered Sweetgum (\u003cem\u003eLiquidambar styraciflua\u003c\/em\u003e). 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis wood was not stabilized or dyed. In my own workshop testing, the wood performs well with distilled spirits.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDetails\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e Approx. 4⅛ inches wide × 3¼ inches tall\u003cbr\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eWood:\u003c\/strong\u003e Sweetgum\/Redgum (\u003cem\u003eLiquidambar styraciflua\u003c\/em\u003e)\u003cbr\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Personally gathered from a local tree\u003cbr\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eConstruction:\u003c\/strong\u003e Hand-turned\u003cbr\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eInterior:\u003c\/strong\u003e Modified Glencairn-inspired profile\u003cbr\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eStabilization:\u003c\/strong\u003e None\u003cbr\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eColor:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural—no dye\u003cbr\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eSurface Character:\u003c\/strong\u003e Naturally occurring exterior checks\u003cbr\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eSanding and Finish Process:\u003c\/strong\u003e Walnut-oil sanding slurry\u003cbr\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eAvailability:\u003c\/strong\u003e One of one\u003cbr\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eCare:\u003c\/strong\u003e Hand wash only. Do not soak or place in a dishwasher.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gentry Crafted","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49069317587199,"sku":"GCSweetgumWC1","price":55.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0702\/2808\/2943\/files\/The-Second-Amber-Sweetgum-Whiskey-Cup-IMG_03596.jpg?v=1789221689","url":"https:\/\/gentrycrafted.com\/products\/the-second-amber-sweetgum-whiskey-cup","provider":"Gentry Crafted","version":"1.0","type":"link"}