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Glassware Guide: Cocktail Edition

Building Your Home Bar

When it comes to cocktails, the right glassware makes all the difference. But what should you stock up on, and what niche glassware just gathers dust? Like almost everything, it’s a matter of taste. Our guide will help you tailor your barware to your personal style, whether you’re an occasional G&T drinker or aspiring mixologist. Determine where you fall in the spectrum of home bartenders from casual to professional-level mixologist, then peruse our glassware glossary to build your cocktail glass collection.

Cocktail Glassware ABCs

Although not a comprehensive list of cocktail glassware, this glossary includes most of the more commonly used all-purpose glasses as well as a selection of cocktail-specific glasses.

Notes:

While there are reasons you serve certain drinks in certain glassware, ultimately cocktail presentation is about creativity, intention, and personal opinion. Get glassware you like and will use. Many common cocktail glasses go by multiple names. There are minor differences between similar types of glassware, but ultimately many of them are almost identical.

Aperol Spritz Glass

Intended specifically for an Aperol Spritz, an Aperol Spritz glass has a large bowl and tall, elegant stem. If you don’t have a specific glass for your Aperol Spritz, you can use a large red wine glass.

An Aperol Spritz glass usually holds 16 oz. to leave plenty of room for ice.

This elegant glass is ideal for any spritz such as a Campari Spritz, Cynar Spritz, or Wine Spritzer. Try using it for a mimosa, French 75, and other champagne cocktails.

Viski Angled Crystal Amaro Spritz Glasses

Champagne Flute

A champagne glass or champagne flute is a variation on a wine glass with a narrow silhouette designed to keep your champagne’s carbonation from dissipating too quickly.

Champagne flutes hold approximately 6 oz. to 8 oz. of wine, although 4–5 oz. is a typical pour for sparkling wine.

They are ideal for any sparkling wine, Prosecco, or rosé, and are a perfect vessel for any type of champagne cocktail such as a French 75, mimosa, or Kir Royale.

Viski Angled Crystal Champagne Flutes

Cocktail Glass

The cocktail glass is often referred to as a Martini glass interchangeably but there are slight differences between the two. A cocktail glass has a gently rounded bowl, shorter stem, smaller capacity, and slightly narrower rim than the classic wide triangle silhouette of a Martini glass.

The classic cocktail glass usually ranges from 3 oz. to 6 oz. Some extra large cocktail glasses hold 10 oz.

The cocktail glass is ideal for any drink served “up” (shaken or stirred with ice and strained into a chilled cocktail glass). Try using a classic cocktail glass for a Manhattan, Negroni, Gimlet, Whiskey Sour, or Daiquiri.

Viski Angled Crystal Cocktail Tumblers

Coupe Glass

A coupe glass is a stemmed cocktail glass with a wide, shallow bowl. Originally intended for Champagne, this classic stemware actually causes carbonation to dissipate more quickly and is much better suited for cocktails that are served up.

Most coupe glasses hold around 5 to 7 oz.

A coupe glass is great for any drink you’d serve in a classic cocktail glass or martini glass and gives your cocktail that vintage glassware look. A Daiquiri, Aviation, Sidecar, Negroni, Manhattan, or Gimlet are all popular cocktails that are perfect for a coupe glass.

Viski Angled Crystal Coupe Glasses

Gin & Tonic Glass

Although you can serve a G&T in almost any tumbler, this stemmed cocktail glass is designed for gin devotees. The wide mouth enhances the botanical profile of the gin, the generous balloon bowl leaves plenty of room for ice, and the stemmed design helps keep your G&T cold and prevents excessive dilution.

A G&T glass holds 14 oz.

Although designed for a classic G&T, a gin and tonic glass is perfect for any kind of spritz or highball cocktail.

Viski Raye Angled Crystal Gin & Tonic Glasses

Highball Glass

A highball glass is a tall, narrow glass similar to a Collins glass but slightly shorter and wider.

A highball glass holds 8 to 12 oz.

It is one of the most versatile cocktail glasses. Use a highball glass for any tall drinks that include non-alcoholic mixers like soda, tonic, or ginger beer: gin and tonic, whiskey soda, rum and coke, Tom Collins, Mojito, Dark ‘N’ Stormy, or tiki drinks.

Viski Beau Highball Glasses

Lowball Glass

Also known as an Old Fashioned glass or rocks glass, a lowball glass is a short, wide tumbler with a heavy base that’s perfect for muddled cocktails.

The capacity of a lowball glass ranges from 4 oz. to 10 oz.

Crystal lowball glasses are a true classic and one of the most versatile cocktail glasses available. Use your lowball glasses to serve neat pours, liquor on the rocks, or cocktails such as the Old Fashioned, Negroni, Margarita, or a simple Scotch and soda or whiskey soda.

Viski Beau Lowball Tumblers

Margarita Glass

With its shallow, stepped bowl and tall stem, the Margarita glass has a distinctive shape.

These coupes come in a variety of sizes, from 9 oz. to 12 oz. or extra large 20 oz. Margarita glasses.

Besides a shaken Margarita or frozen Margarita, crystal Margarita glasses are great for any frozen cocktails such as Frosé, frozen Daiquiris, or any drink you’d serve in a coupe.

Viski Angled Crystal Margarita Glasses

Martini Glass

Martini glasses are similar to cocktail glasses and coupe glasses, and often used interchangeably. However, a martini glass has a distinctive, triangular silhouette rather than a rounded bowl.

Vintage Martini glasses were much smaller than modern cocktail glasses and usually held around 4 or 5 oz. Today, many Martini glasses are designed to hold 8 oz. to 10 oz.

Besides a classic gin Martini, a crystal Martini glass is great for Gimlets, Margaritas, Manhattans, Whiskey Sours, and any other cocktails served up.

Viski Stemmed Crystal Martini Glasses

Moscow Mule Mug

The classic vessel for serving a Moscow Mule (vodka, ginger beer, and lime) is a striking copper mug, often with a brass handle. The copper material helps maintain the temperature of this refreshing cocktail.

A Moscow Mule cup holds 14–16 oz.

The Moscow Mule Mug is more versatile than its name suggests: it’s perfect for a number of mixed drinks. Try serving a Cuba Libre, Mint Julep, Dark ‘N’ Stormy, Whiskey Ginger, Margarita, or Pimm’s Cup in a copper mug.

Viski Faceted Moscow Mule Mug

Negroni Glass

Designed specifically for the cult-favorite Negroni cocktail, this glass is a variation on a rocks glass and shows off the brilliant red hue of this beloved drink.

The Negroni glass holds 8 oz.

The Negroni glass is perfect for any cocktail you’d serve in a lowball, such as an Old Fashioned, Margarita, or whiskey neat.

Viski Raye Crystal Negroni Glasses

Old Fashioned Glass

An Old Fashioned glass is a short, wide tumbler for serving cocktails over ice. It’s often called a rocks glass, lowball glass, or tumbler.

There are 2 sizes of Old Fashioned glass: a Single Old Fashioned Glass or SOF Glass and a Double Old Fashioned Glass or DOF Glass. An SOF glass holds 6 oz. to 10 oz. and a DOF holds 12 oz. to 16 oz.

A crystal Old Fashioned glass is incredibly versatile—serve any cocktail over ice or neat pours of your favorite liquor in a Single Old Fashioned or Double Old Fashioned glass.

Viski Smoked Double Old Fashioned Glasses

Rocks Glass

A rocks glass is a wide, short tumbler used for serving cocktails over ice, liquor on the rocks, or a neat pour of whiskey. Rocks glasses are often called lowball glasses or Old Fashioned glasses.

A typical rocks glass holds 8 oz. to 10 oz.

Use a rocks glass for any drink you’d serve in an Old Fashioned glass or lowball glass, such as an Old Fashioned, Whiskey Soda, Gin & Tonic, Negroni, Margarita, Whiskey Sour, or Scotch neat.

Viski European Crystal Rocks Glasses

Tiki Mug

A tiki mug is a large ceramic cocktail cup, often carved with decorative designs in a tropical theme, used to serve tiki cocktails and other tropical beverages.

Tiki mugs are intended to leave lots of room for crushed ice or pebbled ice. The capacity of a tiki mug ranges from the standard 15 oz. to extra large scorpion bowls meant to be shared.

Although tiki mugs are most commonly used for rum tiki cocktails like the Mai Tai, Planter’s Punch, Hurricane, Zombie, Navy Grog, Jungle Bird, and Painkiller, you can serve any highball cocktail or tall blended drink in these fun glasses.

Viski High Tide Tiki Mugs

Whiskey Glass

While there are many different types of whiskey glass, most use an Old Fashioned glass for sipping their whiskey. However, for tasting single-malt Scotch or fine aged Bourbon, a whiskey snifter with its short stem, full bowl, and narrow flared rim is ideal.

A whiskey glass has a capacity of 6 oz. to 8 oz., but usually only 2 oz. of whiskey is served in the glass.

A whiskey snifter is excellent for tasting whiskey, rum, gin, vodka, tequila, mezcal, and other spirits. The shape enhances the experience of straight liquor and decreases the harsh alcohol while concentrating the aroma and flavor.

Viski Reserve Cocktail Glasses

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