Your Buying Guide to Cocktail Glasses

Do you every wish to come home from work and mix up a good cocktail, relax and enjoy your drink?  Or go to a bar with friends and unwind with cocktails on hand?  If you want to entertain visitors in your home without having to go to a bar or restaurant, you need to invest on cocktail glasses and learn how to mix drinks.

And so, we are going to discuss the types of cocktail glasses, what other buyers are saying, what to look out for and some of the most popular brands.

Types of Cocktail Glasses

Balloon Glass

Here in the UK, Gin and Tonic has been served in a tall glass for years. But now we are starting to take inspiration from across the pond and are moving towards the oversized balloon glass. Made famous by the Spanish, the “Gintonic” takes advantage of the extra space in a balloon glass to create a drink that carries the traditional Gin and Tonic to a whole new level and has since travelled across Europe gaining in popularity.

Crafting your own Gintonic is a little like building a dish; a little time and some fresh ingredients is all you need to create a symphony of bitter effervescence that will set your taste buds alight. Fill your glass with plenty of ice, and pour in one part of your favourite Gin and three parts premium tonic. This is going to make the perfect canvas for your drink.

Next, it pays to know what botanicals were used when distilling your Gin as you’re going to complement the flavours and bring the best out of your cocktail. All Gin contains Juniper, so this is a good garnish to start with, but don’t be afraid to experiment and add pretty much any herb, fruit or veg you want. Some bars go as far as making their own bitters to offset any sweetness. Just be creative and create something delicious.

Martini Glass

Amongst the most glamorous of cocktail glasses, the Martini glass does a little more than just look pretty. As with most stemware, the aim is to keep the heat generated by your hands away from the drink. A Martini uses no ice in the glass, so even the slightest bit of body heat can affect your perfectly made drink.

Another issue which may arise if serving a Martini in the wrong glass is the lack of fizz and the different consistencies of the spirits and liquors used; in a straight rocks glass, these liquids would separate, giving you a drink that is harsh on the palette. The coned shape prevents this happening and ensures everything stays mixed.

Margarita Glass

Mixing style with practicality, the Margarita Glass has a fun look that also benefits your drink. The wide opening creates a lot of surface tension and allows you to inhale the sharp and zesty flavour of lime and Tequila whilst you drink.

One thing to watch out for when creating this drink is to make sure that if you're rimming the glass with salt that you don’t get any salt on the inside of the glass. If it does get inside, it can fall into your drink and create a briny chaos. Rim garnishes don't have to be limited to plain salt and sugar: you could try smoking your salt or even dehydrating foods then dropping them in to a spice grinder to create an intensely flavoured powder.

Hurricane Glass

The Hurricane glass has some serious “look at me” factor. The curvy, slightly oversized shape of the glass creates a spectacle at the bar. Used for pretty much any drink you would serve in a tall glass, you can go crazy with over the top garnishes like big pineapple leaves, a whole celery or even sparklers.

Hurricane glasses are tougher than they look and can easily withstand quite heavy use, making them perfect for when there’s a bustling part atmosphere.

Hi-Ball Glass

The Hi-Ball glass is quite often the most commonly used cocktail glass because of its versatility. It's famous for presenting cocktails such as the screwdriver and the mojito. The Hi-Ball glass may also be referred to as a long drink glass. This glass is perfect for tall drinks that use juice or mixer and is often served with ice and a straw.

Making this your go-to glass for mixed drinks can be a good idea when you work in a busy bar; the glasses aren’t stackable but their tall and thin nature doesn’t take up much space on a shelf.

Champagne Flute

Instantly recognisable, the Champagne flute is a delicate and magnificent glass that is an icon of luxury and class. The long, thin shape helps to contain the carbonation in the drink and creates an impressive display of tiny bubbles that shoot to the top of the glass and create a small explosion of aroma at the surface.

The flute is perfect for younger sparkling wines, but a champagne coupe will allow more flavours to develop. A tulip shape starts off thin and opens to a wide bowl before closing slightly towards the aperture, creating a tulip shape.

Shot Glass

The shot glass, or shooter as it's often known, is always a must on any list, not just because of its use for a Tequila Slammer, but also because you can try a range of shots from straight vodka through to a Squashed Frog.

Shots and shooters come in not only a variety of shapes and sizes, but they also come in a variety of materials, making them perfect for any occasion. Slammer glasses utilise an extra thick base so they can withstand use by enthusiastic customers without breaking.

What Other Buyers Are Saying

There are many different cocktail glasses to choose from so, you must know which cocktails you're going to serve your guests--whether you would stick with the classic recipes  or add a variety for them to enjoy.  Be sure to read reviews from other buyers first before making your final decision like the ones below:

Beautiful glasses and they hold a bunch of ice, making for a longer lasting drink. Only 4 stars because the glass is thinner than it appears. It won't be long before one is broken. I'll enjoy while I can.

Beautiful pair of gin glasses. Very fine - really pleasant to drink from. I'm very pleased with these. Would definitely buy again.

Was expecting a little more refinement, and less heavy for crystal. Stem could be a little longer.

What to Look Out for

when buying cocktail glasses, be sure to get those that you can use to serve drinks to your guests.  You don't want to end up with those that you can't use at all.  Check the materials that make up the glasses as these should be durable enough to last for a long time.  And after you've purchased them, search for cocktail recipes that you can try.

Most Popular Brands

Darlington Crystal - is a brand that manufactures gin and tonic glasses, which are free from lead, dishwasher safe and are perfect for engraving.

Schott Zwiesel -  is a brand that manufactures balloon glasses, which are ideal for gin and tonic, made of titan crystal in Germany and are dishwasher and break resistant.

Rink Drink - is a brand that manufactures gin and tonic cocktail glasses, which comes in a pack 6 glasses, great for cocktail parties, colour box can be used to store glasses and are dishwasher safe.