We can’t deny that the dark nights and cold winter months are approaching. Outdoor drinks and cocktails might soon be on temporary hiatus, but that doesn’t mean you and your fellow cohabitants can’t enjoy a tipple together inside.
You’d be wise to upgrade your at-home bar game. An easy way to improve your drinking experience is to make sure you’re using the best cocktail glass for your beverage of choice, the same way your favourite bar does.
Technically any glass will do, but there are specific shapes designed for specific drinks, intended to take your drinking experience to the next-level. Emily Dunstan, Home Accessories Buyer at Heal’s in collaboration with Holly Tudor, Cocktail Development at The Alchemist brings you the ultimate list of beautiful glassware to pair your tipple of choice with.
The simple yet elegant pairing
The long stem on this glass will help keep your drink as cold as possible. Better still, this style glass is a lot less likely to lose its contents over the rim and onto the floor if you’ve had a particularly good evening. And unlike some other martini glass styles, these are dishwasher safe, so there’s no need for hand-washing.
Emily says: This pair of stunning champagne saucers adds a touch of delicate, Art Deco style to your evening drink.
Holly says: These glasses are the perfect vessel for something simple yet elegant like Carrie Bradshaw’s favourite, the Cosmopolitan.
How to make at home: Pour 35ml of citrus vodka, 20ml of lime juice, 20ml of triple sec and 40ml of cranberry juice into a shaker with cubed ice. Shake for 15 seconds or until condensation forms on the outside of the shaker. Fine strain into your saucer and garnish with a flamed orange zest.
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Best cocktail glass for fizzes and gins
The aptly named highball is a classic standby that’s used for all sorts of cocktails, and fizzes particularly tall, cold drinks (often filled with ice) that are popular in the summer months when wanting to stay cool.
Emily says: We suggest keeping the style simple with a highball, and these fit the bill beautifully. Highball glasses will enhance the aroma of gin's botanicals due to their subtly flared shape, perfect for any gin lover.
Holly says: This sophisticated calls for a sophisticated gin classic – the Tom Collins.
How to make at home: Pour 60ml of gin, (we like to use an Old Tom style gin for a sweeter and more citrusy drink) over cubed ice, add 25ml of lemon juice, 10ml of sugar syrup and top with soda. Adjust the amount of syrup in the drink to your tastes. To finish, garnish with a squeeze of lemon.
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Best Cocktail Glass for Wine Spritzers
Choosing a wine glass for spritzers doesn’t need to take a lot of thought, you can use the same wine glass you usually use for wine. However, you’ll want to make sure there’s enough room in there for ample wine and soda.
Emily says: These glasses will bring an added level of refinement to special occasions. Each glass is expertly mouth-blown and presented in a beautiful box, making them perfect for gift giving.
Holly says: These wine glasses give a classy edge to everyone’s favourite summer beverage – the Aperol spritz.
How to make at home: Pour 50ml Aperol, 125ml Prosecco over ice and top with a dash of soda water to lengthen. Give it a quick stir and finish with a squeeze of orange.
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Best Cocktail Glass for Spirits on the Rocks
An old fashioned or double old fashioned glass is usually your best bet when it comes to sipping whiskey, vodka or any other spirits on the rocks.
Emily says: Designed for the connoisseur, tumblers will bring a suave and debonair feel to your home bar. Ideal for a single malt whiskey or a short cocktail. The mouth blown glass is worked into a curvy silhouette that fits perfectly within the individual walnut base.
Holly says: This glassware is perfect for impressing your friends with one of the oldest cocktails going, the Old Fashioned.
How to make at home: Add 2 tsp of demerara sugar and 1 dash of bitters to the bottom of your glass and stir to combine. Add an orange zest, 15ml of Woodford and 2 cubes of ice. Stir to dilute and add another 15ml of Woodford and 2 more ice cubes. Repeat this another 2 times until your Old fashioned is diluted to your taste. Top with more cubed ice and garnish with an orange zest.
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The After Dinner Cocktail Glass
This glass is perfect for margaritas and after dinner classics with its wide top and tapered bottom. Each glass is blown using fine crystal glass and boasts an elegant curved silhouette with a slim stem and flat base.
Emily says: This glass is ultra modern and will add a touch of elegance to your home bar.
Holly says: These cocktail saucers would pair amazingly with an after dinner classic like the espresso martini.
How to make at home: Add 30ml of vodka (or dark rum if you fancy a twist) 15ml of coffee liqueur, 10ml of sugar syrup and 1 shot of fresh espresso to a cocktail shaker and shake hard for 15 seconds or until condensations forms on the outside of the shaker. Fine strain into your cocktail saucer and garnish with espresso beans.
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A Reminiscent Art Deco Evening
Glasses which have a wide, shallow saucer allow just enough space for your favourite Champagne cocktail or negroni. This simple set adds a little sparkle with a metallic rim and they come in gold or silver to match the rest of your barware.
Emily says: Champagne glasses add a touch of style to your evening drink and home bar setting and these smoked grey additions provide an Art Deco aesthetic. The tinted glass is a unique twist on typical champagne saucers, creating an energetic expression that will stand out in any drinking set.
Holly says: The colour of these smoky champagne saucers work amazingly well with the deep red hue of one of my favourite cocktails - the Boulevardier. A whisky twist on the negroni.
How to make at home: Add 30ml of bourbon, 30ml of Campari and 30ml of sweet vermouth to a mixing glass with cubed ice and stir for 30 seconds. Strain into your saucer and garnish with a pink grapefruit zest.
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A Spin on a Classic
This pair of stunning yet unique wine glasses adds a touch of flair to your dining experience. Make your home bar the most on trend with a unique twist on the classic wine glass.
Emily says: These glasses are a unique twist on typical wine glasses, creating a dynamic expression that will stand out in any drinking set.
Holly says: I really love the look of these wine glasses, I think the size and shape lend themselves really well for putting a slightly different spin on a refreshing long drink such as the Paloma.
How to make at home: Add 45ml of Tequila, 15ml of lime juice, 40ml of grapefruit juice and 2 tsp of agave to a cocktail shaker and fill with cubed ice. Shake for 15 seconds or until condensation forms on the outside of the shaker. Strain into your wine glass over cubed ice and top with soda. To finish, garnish with a squeeze of pink grapefruit.
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The Perfect Mixer Glass
This contemporary long glass design is perfect for a relaxing drink in the evening. The unique art deco-inspired design will comfortably hold your favourite cocktails, but will also bring the flavours and aromatics of your drink to the forefront.
Emily says: The vertically-ridged surface and narrow base provide a contemporary aesthetic, making this set stand out from the rest. The thick glass and heavy base make them a robust addition to any dining and social scenario.
Holly says: I can see these being the perfect glass for something ice cold and refreshing like a Mojito.
How to make at home: To make simply add 25ml of lime juice, 15ml of sugar syrup, 45ml of white rum and a handful of mint straight into the glass and top with a scoop of crushed ice. Use a bar spoon to churn the drink and release the oils from the mint. Once mint is well dispersed throughout the drink, top with soda and fill with crushed ice to the top. Garnish with a sprig of mint or a lime wedge.
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