A gentleman’s guide to getting your cocktail glasses right
From Martinis to Manhattans, these are the only four glasses you need
Cocktail glasses are almost as varied as the drinks that fill them. With designs and styles that have evolved and been refined over time, every feature of each example of glassware serves a purpose to elevate your drinking experience.
From the stem of the Martini glass – to keep the warmth of your hand away from your cocktail – to the height of a highball – to accommodate the perfect amount of mixer, take heed of the following instructions to ensure your drink always goes down smoothly.
The Martini glass, as its name suggests, should be used for one cocktail and one cocktail only. True, there may be variations on the classic drink – not to mention other cocktails unceremoniously shoe-horned into the Martini glass for no reasons past the superficial – but the only drink a gentleman should drink from a Martini glass is the original.
The Martini uses no ice, so the stem keeps potentially ruinous hand warmth away from your cocktail. And the cone shaped glass is designed in such a way that it keeps the gin (or vodka) and vermouth mixed despite their different consistencies. A flat-walled glass would not do this, and your Martini would develop a sharp, harsh taste.
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Cylindrical, tall and thin, the Collins Glass is designed in such a way that the cocktail is in contact with as much ice as possible to keep it cold, fresh and utterly delectable.
You should be serving the eponymous Tom Collins in this glass, but it has also been adopted by the Mojito and the Mint Julep – a pair of mint-toting drinks that couldn’t taste more palate-cleansing if they tried. All three also necessitate a straw for drinking – and the shape of the glass means it is less likely to float out and escape.
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Ironically, the Rocks Glass takes less ice than the Collins Glass – but don’t dwell on this, gentlemen, for the most diminutive piece of glassware that should feature in your collection (you’re not a student anymore, so ditch the shot glasses) holds some of the best cocktails in any mixologist’s repertoire.
From the Whisky Sour to the White Russian, almost any Rocks Glass cocktail will look good in your hand. The Old Fashioned, Negroni and Manhattan to name a few more. And the Dark n’ Stormy and Caipirinha to name even more. These are the cocktails of a true gentleman – no nonsense, dark spirits and not one piece of colourful fruit in sight.
Deceptively similar to the Collins Glass, the Highball is slightly squatter and wider – and is your go-to glass for simple mixes. Be it a Scotch and Soda or Gin and Tonic, there is room for ice, for your mixer, and even a straw.
Beware looking a little ‘ordinary’ with a highball. If you’re looking to draw attention at the bar, the glass doesn’t make a statement (as with the Martini Glass) and the cocktails it holds don’t draw attention to themselves (something a White Russian or Old Fashioned would never struggle with). That is, unless you choose to order a Bloody Mary – arguably the most exotic and exciting drink to grace the humble highball.
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