Luigi Bormioli Backdoor'20S

Choose by shape, because the names give away what each glass is meant for. The Nick & Nora of 17 cl is the smallest model: a tulip-shaped bowl for stirred cocktails without ice, which holds eight to ten centilitres exactly. The Great Gatsby of 30 cl and the Hemingway Special of 25 cl are wider and more open, suited to sours and anything with a foam on top.

The Barracuda of 32 cl and the Tequila Sunrise of 42 cl are the tall models for drinks over ice. The 80 cl gin glass is the outlier: a substantial balloon in which ice, tonic and garnish all have room to spread out.

Chill any glass you fill without ice, because your hand warms the drink faster than you think. Five minutes in the freezer or a minute with ice water in it is enough. A dry martini or a manhattan belongs in the Nick & Nora, stirred and strained. A whiskey sour shows better in the wider Hemingway Special, where the foam layer has room. In the Tequila Sunrise you let the grenadine sink slowly to the bottom.

Drawn stems are stronger than welded ones, but most damage does not happen while pouring. It happens in the dishwasher basket, where stems end up leaning against each other and tap with every vibration. Place the glasses apart, use a short programme and take them out while they are still warm, so the remaining water dries off without limescale marks. Store the glasses upright in the cupboard rather than on their rim.

If you would rather search by shape than by series, the nick & nora glasses and the cocktail glasses are sorted by model, with alternatives from other brands alongside. The 80 cl gin glass belongs with the gin and tonic glasses. The rest of this brand is at Luigi Bormioli. If you are missing the tools to fill these glasses, take a look at the cocktail shakers.