Which glass for which drink? The glassware guide for home

Gin and tonic from a water glass? It works, but it only tastes half as good. The right glass makes sure aromas end up where they belong: in your nose. It keeps the drink cold for longer and lets the bubbles escape more slowly. Here is our overview of the most important glass shapes and what to use them for.

Why the shape of the glass changes the taste

Three things make the difference:

• The opening: the narrower the glass at the top, the more the aromas are concentrated. That is why whisky and cognac are tasted from tulip-shaped glasses.
• The stem: holding the glass by the stem keeps your hand from warming the drink. Important for wine, sparkling wine and cocktails served without ice.
• Volume and wall thickness: a heavy glass with a thick base keeps ice longer and sits nicely in the hand. A slim, tall glass keeps the fizz in the drink for longer.

The highball glass: for gin and tonic, Cuba Libre and co.

Tall, slim, straight sides: the highball glass is the all-rounder of every home bar. Plenty of room for ice and mixer, and thanks to the small surface the tonic stays lively for longer. Ideal for every drink that follows the "spirit plus mixer" pattern: gin and tonic, vodka lemon, whisky and cola or Moscow Mule.

The tumbler: for whisky on the rocks and short drinks

The tumbler is low, wide and has a heavy base. It is the glass for whisky on the rocks and for classics such as the Old Fashioned or Negroni, which are stirred over ice directly in the glass. Tip: one large ice cube melts more slowly than many small ones and dilutes the drink less.

The nosing glass: for whisky, rum and cognac served neat

Round at the bottom, narrow at the top: a nosing glass captures the aromas and directs them straight to your nose. If you enjoy fine spirits neat and without ice, you will taste much more here than in a tumbler. You will also find suitable shapes among our whisky glasses.

The wine glass as a spritz glass

Aperol Spritz, Lillet Wild Berry or Hugo are served in a large, round wine glass. There is room for plenty of ice and a slice of orange or cucumber, and the aromas still come through. Many brands have their own original glasses for this, for example our Aperol glasses. You will find more shapes among the spritz glasses.

Coupe and martini glass: for drinks without ice

Daiquiri, Martini or Espresso Martini are chilled on ice in the shaker or mixing glass and then strained without ice. For this you need a glass with a stem so the drink stays cold. The round coupe is the elegant classic, the angular martini glass the well-known bar icon.

Flute or tulip: for sparkling wine and champagne

In a narrow flute the bubbles rise beautifully and the fizz lasts a long time. If you want to get more of the aroma of a good champagne, choose the slightly rounder tulip glass. You will find both shapes among our sparkling wine glasses and champagne glasses.

Shot glasses

For shots the rule is: small, sturdy and ideally with a measuring line so every round is the same size. There is a large selection among our schnapps and shot glasses.

And what about beer?

The right glass pays off for beer too: pilsner likes the slim tulip, wheat beer the tall, curved wheat beer glass, Kölsch the narrow Stange. You will find all shapes among our beer glasses.

Quick summary

• Spirit plus mixer: highball glass
• Short and on ice: tumbler
• Tasting neat: nosing glass
• Spritz and aperitif: large wine glass
• Shaken or stirred, served without ice: coupe or martini glass
• Sparkling wine and champagne: flute or tulip

A care tip to finish: glasses with a brand logo or print are best washed by hand. That way the design stays beautiful for many years.