As to WSET, this is what is included in the London WSET Level 3 course:
The cost includes all study materials, wine and spirit samples, tuition, six ISO tasting glasses, examination and postage.
So it seems it is still in use there.
The only advantage I see in ISO, aside from being THE standard is its compact size which can be a factor when a large number of stems is in play, and / or small tasting samples (less than 1.5 oz). And the cons, as discussed, in spades.
LOL, I like one size glass, and the Jancis one seems well conceived
Parker likes a smaller glass for tastings
but I’m a drinker, LOL
The 1 glass but 2 decanters approach is really interesting.
Exactly. As I said at the beginning of this thread, the good thing is that you can fit lots of them on a table or in a box. The bad thing is that you can’t smell or taste anything in the wine.
Exactly. It’s possible to use smaller glasses and still be able to evaluate the wine - it’s just that those ISO glasses are pretty much horrible for picking up much in the way of aroma.
As to why they’re still in use since 1977 - change is difficult for some people and for most organizations. At this point it’s probably inertia more than anything else, and the general rule is that the more some people push for change, the more the old guard digs in.
The US MW courses use the Riedel Overture Red, which is also what I use for tastings (at least they did 15 years ago). I hate the ISO, for one thing you have to tip your head back too far to put wine in your mouth, which seems to change the experience.