9 Types of Glasses for Your Home Bar—and the Cocktails That Taste Best in Each

multiple cocktails in various shaped glasses on white surface — Photo:
Bryan Gardner

For most of us, a cocktail is cause for celebration. Whether you're raising a glass to mark the start of the weekend or toasting a special occasion, your drink should (hopefully) be a delightful respite from everyday stress and a moment for pure enjoyment. That's where the right type of glass comes into play—everything from the shape and size to the thickness of the glass can further enhance each sip of that Manhattan, Negroni, or whatever your favorite libation may be. We reached out to cocktail experts to find out which types of glasses complement specific drinks, and what makes each one a worthy addition to your bar cart. Cheers!

Regan DeBenedetto is the wine director and sommelier at Spuntino Wine Bar & Italian Tapas in Clifton, N.J., and Garden City, N.Y.
Fernando Sousa is the national beverage director of Diageo North America, whose portfolio includes over 200 premium beers and spirits.

Why the Right Type of Glass Matters

The right glass can elevate a drink into a sensory experience. "Every detail of the craftsmanship of the glass affects the temperature and ultimately the taste of the cocktail," says Regan DeBenedetto, wine director and sommelier at Spuntino Wine Bar & Italian Tapas. The curve and overall size will impact the ice ratio, ingredient layering, and incorporation within a recipe, she says. The type of glass can also inform the color and clarity of your drink. "Tasting and showcasing your cocktail in the proper glass leads to an overall more satisfying experience," she says.

"A lot of people put a lot of rules around glassware, and they're not completely wrong," says Fernando Sousa, national beverage director of Diageo North America, maker of Guinness, Smirnoff, and Johnnie Walker. A glass's form affects function, encouraging a cocktail's nuanced ingredients to shine. A martini, for instance, lends itself nicely to a martini glass, says Sousa, with the surface area on top allowing the aroma of the high-proof gin to come through.

Still, some drinkers may care about the contents, not the vessel. "If you want a martini in a juice glass, then live your life, it's a judgment-free zone!" says Sousa. But if you prefer to engage all of your senses, consider the stemware your drink is served in, he adds.

Essential Glasses for Every Cocktail and Drink

Every wine and spirits professional has their go-to glasses for serving memorable cocktails. "Rocks glasses, coupes, and highballs are the true workhorses of our mixologist-crafted cocktail program," says DeBenedetto. Sousa agrees, adding an all-purpose (AP) wine glass, Nick and Nora, and a classic martini glass to the mix.

From basic to party-perfect, here's a roundup of the essential types of glasses to keep on hand.

All-Purpose (AP) Wine Glasses

wine glass on a wooden surface and dark background — SpockTV / Getty Images

"If you're having a white tablecloth dinner party and serving a robust red, you might use a dedicated red wine glass," says Sousa. "But I love to invert it, using one glass for bubbles, red, and white wine," says Sousa. He also likes to add a standard 5-ounce pour to 15-ounce or 17-ounce glasses, which he says makes a lovely presentation.

Coupe

Also known as a sour glass, the coupe is for shaken drinks served without ice. "Originally developed for Champagne, and a favorite among mixologists for modern craft cocktails, this stemmed glass has a broad, shallow bowl," says DeBenedetto. Ranging from 5.5 ounces to 10 ounces, they are ideal for classics like The Sidecar, the Aviation, the daiquiri, and the ever-popular espresso martini, she says.

Flute

This elevated stemware is a match for sparkling wine and spritzes. "At a standard 6 to 10 ounces, it has a shorter stem with a long and narrow bowl to retain carbonation in the wine, and concentrate the aromatics," says DeBenedetto. Sousa says he might use it for a French 75 or a Champagne toast, but prefers a wider mouth when he wants to savor the bubbles.

Highball

Tall and narrow, a standard highball glass is optimal for cocktails with a sparkling component, says Sousa. "This 8-ounce to 12-ounce tumbler glass is a true staple of any esteemed bar," says DeBenedetto. It's versatile, too; handy for everything from gin and tonics to Bloody Marys and Dark and Stormys.

Collins

A smidge taller, and sometimes wider, than the highball, this 10-ounce to 14-ounce cylindrical tumbler holds onto the fizz in carbonated iced drinks, like the Tom Collins and John Collins.

Rocks

glass glossary old fashioned — Bryan Gardner

"A bar essential!" says DeBenedetto. Also known as an old-fashioned or lowball glass, this short 6-ounce to 10-ounce barrel-shaped tumbler has a thick base, and works for both neat and on-the-rocks pours of whiskey, bourbon, scotch, and classic cocktails like old fashioneds (of course) and Manhattans. "A double rocks, a 14-ounce size, makes more of a statement for a large neat," adds Sousa.

Margarita

Wide, broad-rimmed, and garnished with salt, sugar, or Tajin, a Mexican chile-lime condiment, these 8-ounce to 14-ounce glasses taper to a narrow stem. "They are traditionally designed to shine a spotlight on the bright colors and garnishes of this beloved cocktail as it passes over the bar or through the dining room," says DeBenedetto.

Martini

Sousa advocates adding both the classic 8-ounce to 12-ounce martini glass and the smaller Nick and Nora glass to your collection. "I love a good steakhouse martini," he says.

Nick and Nora

Dry Vesper Martini in a Nick & Nora Glass — GETTY IMAGES

"Originally introduced as martini glasses in the 1930s, these glasses have risen to recent popularity among mixologists and guests alike," says DeBenedetto. (Nick and Nora were the martini-sipping sleuths in Dashiell Hammett's famous detective novel and film of that era, The Thin Man.) Delicate and chic, this stemmed, egg-shaped glass holds 6 ounces of an ice-cold cocktail like the Sazarec and martini, served straight up. "Buy these small coupe glasses with a decorative design, or with a gold or silver rim, because, why not?" says Sousa.

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