Best cocktail glasses and straws to help you stock your summer bar

The right glasses for your high-end cocktails

A good cocktail consists of a mix of bold and subtle flavors. The way humans taste those flavors is dependent on variables such as temperature and how the liquid contacts the tongue. The way a cocktail looks also has a profound effect on the experience. The right glass showcases colors, gradients and garnishes. To that end, the type of glass used to serve a cocktail has a big influence on the drink’s quality.

Shop this article: Libbey Z-Stem Martini Glasses, Riedel O Wine Tumblers and No Worries Atoll Straw Set

How to pick the right cocktail glasses

First, consider what type of cocktails you and your guests like the most. If you’re a big fan of whiskey, make sure to collect some smaller glasses that accommodate the size of a common dram. If fruity, sour beverages are more your thing, consider wide-rimmed glasses. These increase surface area and help bring out some aromatics. If you love to compare beers and wines, you need a set of glasses that work with each variety to get the most out of your favorite beverages.

Cocktail glass size

Classic bar drinks such as the old-fashioned, martini and cosmopolitan don’t usually have high volume. For that style, it’s worth having traditional, mid-size rocks glasses on hand. For enjoying bright, refreshing cocktails, you need something larger. While most are familiar with classic pint glasses, many types of craft beer taste better from tulip glasses. Similarly, the size of the glass helps to evaluate the body and appearance of high-end wine while allowing for the right amount of oxidation.

Shape and surface area

The easiest example of shape influencing a drink’s quality is champagne, typically served in the iconic champagne flute. Tall and slim glasses such as flutes minimize the liquid’s contact with air and prevent the loss of all-important carbonation. Any drink that’s carbonated or includes a fizzy mixer benefits from a tall glass, rather than a wide one.

On the other hand, drinks that rely on smell as much as direct flavor work best in wide-rimmed glasses. Allowing fragrant liquors and bitters to contact the air helps release aromatics and prepares your palate for a powerful flavor every time you raise the glass to your lips.

Cocktail glass material

Simple glass is the most common material, but it’s not the only one. If you have rambunctious kids or pets or plan to enjoy beverages outside frequently, plastic is worth considering. It rarely delivers the same high-quality experience as glass, but it’s practically unbreakable. If it does break, you won’t find yourself cleaning glass shards from your lawn, patio or pool area.

Then there are crystal glasses. These aren’t made from actual crystal, but a subtype of glass with a chemical such as a metal oxide added to the mix. Crystal glasses usually have higher density and are thinner than common glasses. The material melts at a lower temperature and remains strong even when very thin. Don’t mistake that strength for durability, though. High-end crystal is typically much thinner and therefore more brittle than common glass.

Crystal also tends to look fancier than standard glass, due to the way it refracts light. Since crystal is worked at lower temperatures than glass, it can hold more intricate designs and patterns. Those patterns, coupled with the refraction crystal offers, make for spectacular, even prismatic effects when light plays off the glass and beverage.

If you love fancy cocktails, it’s worth investing in a set of crystal glasses. Be warned, though, that they require care to keep from breaking and can’t go in the dishwasher. It's also an investment to get the most high-end crystal cocktail glasses.

Best cocktail glasses for home bars

Libbey Z-Stem Martini Glasses

Whether you make yours with gin or vodka, these novel glasses ensure your favorite martini looks great.

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