L.S.A.

Start with capacity, because that’s where you’ll find the greatest variation. The tumblers range from 30 cl in the Borough series to 56 cl in Gems and Coro, and you notice that difference immediately. In a 30 cl glass, you can serve whisky neat or add water alongside a meal; 56 cl glasses fit three ice cubes and a generous splash of soft drink without filling to the brim. For long drinks, you’ll end up around 35 to 42 cl, for beer at 42.5 to 75 cl, and for cocktails at 25 to 27.5 cl. For a broader overview of these sizes, also see tumbler glasses.

Then choose by colour. Gems, Peaks and Coro come as assorted sets, which is handy if you want to be able to see at the table whose glass is whose, but less suitable for a neatly laid table. The transparent series create a calmer look. Finally, pay attention to the number per set, as L.S.A. supplies sets of two, four or six, and that determines how easily you can reorder when one gets broken.

Mouth-blown glass is heavy at the base and thinner at the rim, making it suitable for drinks you sip slowly. A heavy tumbler keeps a large ice cube cold without your hand warming the drink, which you can taste with neat whisky and a Negroni that you pour over ice. The balloon glasses from the Gin series do the opposite: they give the botanicals room. Pour the gin over ice, top up with tonic along the side of the glass, and place the garnish on top rather than in it, so the aroma remains suspended at the top of the glass. The proportions are listed under gin and tonic and the corresponding shapes under gin tonic glasses.

Pour beer into the Canopy and Cellar glasses at an angle, and only set the glass upright when it is half full, so the head is about two fingers thick.

Mouth-blown glass is dishwasher-safe, but not with every cycle. Choose a short glassware cycle at a low temperature and do not let the glasses dry at high heat, because it is precisely the transition from hot to cold that causes hairline cracks. Place the glasses separately in the rack: most breakage occurs because the rims knock against each other, not because of the washing itself.

Glasses with a colored or smoked finish stay looking their best when you polish them with a lint-free cloth. Limescale marks are particularly noticeable on dark glass and can be removed with a splash of vinegar in the rinse water. For the narrower series, a glass brush comes in handy, because a sponge cannot reach the bottom.

Are you looking for the same handmade character but in a different form? Then you can continue sideways. The beer glasses include, besides L.S.A., hospitality series with a reinforced rim, while the cocktail glasses bring together the complete range of coupes, martini glasses, and hurricanes. Do you already have the glassware but lack the tools to mix something in it? Then take a look at the cocktail shakers, which also include bar spoons, jiggers, and strainers.