The 10 Types Of Cocktail Glasses For Your Bar

If there were to be an eighth deadly sin, we’d argue it would be serving champagne in a water glass. Okay, maybe we are erring on the side of dramatics, but trust us when we tell you it just doesn’t taste the same when you aren’t sipping Moet from a champagne flute.

If you consider yourself a bit of a cocktail connoisseur, but you don’t have the gear to get those ten points for presentation, you are doing yourself a disservice. If you find that you’ve perfected your signature recipes, bought all of the ingredients and even secured yourself the perfect bar cart to display your liquors of choice, but your glassware still needs a little refining – you’ve come to the right place.

Regardless of where you are on the cocktail enthusiast scale–whether you’re an eager novice or an aspiring mixologist–there are certain cocktail glasses you should always have at home. Without further ado, here are the different types of cocktail glasses you need for your bar. Chin chin!

Spanish Gin & Tonic Glasses

The Spanish gin & tonic glass, sometimes known as a Copa de Balon, is a glass that is perfect for–you guessed it–gin and tonics. Typically bulbous in shape, this cocktail glass type has a stem similar to a wine glass, and is designed to trap the gin aromas and give more flavour to the drink. G&T, anyone?

 

Martini Glass

This bad boy is what James Bond was after when he asked for his martini “shaken not stirred”. The martini glass is one of those types of cocktail glasses that is an essential addition to any home bar. The conical top and thin stem synonymous with the martini allows room for the classic additions of olives and onions, and the shape also gives the drink greater exposure, helping the spirit to open up.

Best cocktails for the martini glass:

Martini (all variations)

Cosmopolitan

Manhattan

 

Coupe Glass

A coupe glass is the rounder version of its martini counterpart. Instead of the classic martini V, the coupe cocktail glass has more of a rounded bowl with the straight elongated stem. There is a myth that the coupe was originally moulded off of Marie Antoinette’s own breast, however a more logical explanation for its shape is because it is easy to hold and manoeuvre when filled with alcoholic liquid. Go with whichever explanation you prefer. 

Best cocktails for the coupe glass:

Daiquiri

Hanky Panky

Dutch Coupe

 

 

 

Highball Glass

A highball glass, also known as a Collins glass, is a tumbler-style cocktail glass type that is taller than its lowball counterpart. Due to their height and depth, highball glasses are generally used to serve cocktails that have a higher quantity of liquid or need a large amount of a non-alcoholic mixer, like a Long Island Iced Tea or a Tequila Sunrise. Due to their depth, they can also hold more ice than your average cocktail glass.

Best cocktails for the highball glass glass:

Mojito

Dark ‘N’ Stormy

Bloody Mary

 

 

 

Old Fashioned Glass

 Otherwise known as a rocks or lowball glass, the Old Fashioned Glass is a niche type of tumbler-style cocktail glass. Typically with a wide brim and deep base, the Old Fashioned Glass is perfect for mashing ingredients within the glass itself before adding the liquid ingredients. Don’t be fooled by the name–this cocktail glass is not limited to just one drink, but can be used to serve many crowd favourites! 

Best cocktails for the Old Fashioned glass: 

Old Fashioned

Negroni

Rum Sour

 

 

Margarita Glass 

Name a more well-known type of cocktail glass than the iconic margarita. We’ll wait. Similar to the martini and old fashioned, the margarita glass is one that is recognisable to all cocktail lovers off of just one glance. With its peculiar double tiered shape and wide rim (perfect for a salted rim, might we add), this glass is one that every cocktail connoisseur needs in their home bar. 

Best cocktails for the Margarita Glass:

Margaritas (all varieties)

Red Guitar

 

 

Hurricane Glass

Crafted by cocktail lovers for cocktail lovers, the hurricane glass is a simple yet unmistakable type of cocktail glass for those beverages that have a little more character. Thick, deep and curved, the hurricane glass is shaped like a vase or hurricane lamp, and due to its ability to hold more liquid (around 20 ounces), this cocktail glass type is ideal for larger frozen beverages–which is where it gets its “beachy” and “tropical” stereotype from. 

Best cocktails for the hurricane glass: 

Pina Colada

Blue Hawaii

Miami Vice

Champagne Flute 

Ahh, the classic champagne flute. Perhaps the most recognisable type of cocktail glass there is. Due to its tall and narrow bowl that is designed to protect carbonation, champagne flutes are ideal for serving bubbly, fizzy and champagne-based cocktails, such as the crowd-pleasing Mimosa (hello Christmas morning or brunch with the girls) or Ernest Hemingway’s Death In The Afternoon.

Best cocktails for the champagne flute:

Mimosa

Death In The Afternoon

Bellini 

Wine Glass 

Don’t be fooled: the humble wine glass can hold more than just an aromatic red or a refreshing white. Many cocktails, including some of the most recognisable and crowd-pleasing (Aperol Spritz or Sangria, anyone?) can be served and enjoyed in a wine glass. Just create, pour, serve and sip, and don’t let the name of the glass stop you from drinking a cocktail in this glass. 

Best cocktails for the wine glass: 

Aperol Spritz

Sangria

Irish Coffee

So, there you have it. Whether you’re an enthusiastic novice, a cocktail connoisseur or a full-blown mixologist, having these different types of cocktail glasses in your home bar will ensure you look the part, too. Enjoy!