Cocktail glasses

Cocktail glasses fall into four families: stemmed glasses for drinks served up, tumblers for spirits over ice, tall glasses for long drinks with mixer, and speciality shapes. Match the glass to how the drink is served.

  • Stemmed glasses hold drinks served up, with no ice in the glass
  • Tumblers such as rocks glasses suit spirits and drinks over ice
  • Highballs and hurricanes hold long drinks topped with mixer
  • Two or three shapes cover almost everything made at home

Showing 1–24 of 383 results

Showing 1–24 of 383 results

Cocktail glasses look like a large family, but they divide into a handful of jobs. A shape either holds a drink served up with no ice, holds a spirit over ice, holds a long drink topped with mixer, or does something specific for one drink.nnThat is why a home bar rarely needs more than three shapes to start. A coupe or Nick & Nora covers Martinis, Daiquiris and Manhattans; a rocks glass covers Old Fashioneds, Negronis and whisky; a highball covers everything with tonic, soda or ginger beer. Margarita, hurricane, shot and tiki shapes come later, when a particular drink earns them.

Which type do you need?

Almost every cocktail glass belongs to one of four families, each built around a different way of serving the drink.

TypeBest forWorth knowing
Stemmed glasses for drinks served up Martinis, Daiquiris, Manhattans and anything strained with no ice Coupe, Nick & Nora and V-shaped martini glasses all do this job
Tumblers for drinks over ice Old Fashioneds, Negronis, whisky neat or on the rocks Rocks and whisky glasses have heavy bases and no stem to hold
Tall glasses for long drinks Gin and tonic, Highball, Mojito, Dark 'n' Stormy Height and a narrow mouth help keep carbonation from going flat
Speciality shapes Margaritas, Pina Coladas, tequila shots, tiki drinks Margarita, hurricane, shot and tiki mugs each suit a small set of drinks

How to choose

Which glass suits which cocktail?

A Martini, Daiquiri or Manhattan is strained with no ice, so it goes in a coupe, a Nick & Nora or a V-shaped martini glass, where the stem keeps your hand off the bowl. An Old Fashioned, Negroni or whisky over ice goes in a rocks glass, wide enough for a large cube. A gin and tonic or Mojito goes in a highball, tall enough for plenty of ice and mixer. Beyond those, a Margarita suits the stepped margarita glass, a Pina Colada suits a hurricane, and a tequila shot needs nothing more than a shot glass.

How the shape changes the drink

Shape is not only decoration. A stem stops body heat reaching a drink that has no ice to defend it, which is why a coupe keeps a Daiquiri colder than a tumbler would. A wide bowl gives up that chill faster than a narrow one, so a Nick & Nora holds temperature slightly longer than a coupe. A tall, narrow highball keeps bubbles from escaping as quickly as they would in a wide glass. A heavy rocks glass base holds a large cube steady and slows dilution, giving a spirit room to open up rather than watering down in minutes.

Building a set without buying everything

Start with two shapes. A rocks glass handles spirits, stirred classics and anything over ice, and a coupe or Nick & Nora handles everything served up. Add highballs third, once tonic and soda become regular, because neither of the first two holds enough liquid. After that, buy by drink rather than by set: margarita glasses if frozen Margaritas are a habit, hurricanes for tropical drinks, tiki mugs for rum, shot glasses for a crowd. Buying four shapes you use beats twelve that sit in a cupboard, and mismatched glasses matter far less than most people expect.

Common questions

What are the main types of cocktail glass?

The common shapes are the coupe, Nick & Nora and V-shaped martini glass for drinks served up; the rocks or whisky glass for spirits over ice; the highball and collins for long drinks; and speciality shapes including the margarita glass, hurricane, shot glass and tiki mug. Most cocktails you meet at home use one of the first four.

How many cocktail glasses do I need at home?

Two shapes cover most of it: a stemmed glass for anything strained with no ice, and a rocks glass for spirits and stirred drinks over ice. A set of highballs makes a sensible third purchase once you make gin and tonics or Mojitos often. Four of each is enough for most gatherings without filling a cupboard.

Coupe or martini glass: which is better?

They hold the same drinks, so it comes down to handling. A martini glass has the classic V-shaped silhouette and the widest rim, which spills readily when carried. A coupe curves inwards near the rim, so moving liquid runs back towards the middle. Bars mostly use coupes or Nick & Noras now, for exactly that reason.

What size should a cocktail glass be?

A shaken or stirred drink served up is usually 90 to 120ml once strained, so a coupe or Nick & Nora of 175 to 250ml leaves headroom for a garnish. Rocks glasses run around 250 to 300ml to fit a large cube, and highballs 300 to 400ml to take ice plus a full mixer top.

Are cocktail glasses dishwasher safe?

Thicker tumblers and shot glasses generally are. Fine stems and thin rims on coupes, Nick & Noras and martini glasses are the parts that chip and cloud over repeated cycles, and tall glasses can rock in the basket. Hand-washing in warm water and drying with a soft cloth keeps them clear for far longer.

Have a look at

Martini glassesCoupe glassesHighball glasses

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