Tumbler glasses

The size immediately tells you what a tumbler is intended for. A low glass of 20 to 30 cl is the classic water glass or shot glass for use with a meal, and this is also the size in which the Bodega and Picardie are most commonly sold. Between 30 and 40 cl, you get the low, heavy glass known in bars as an old fashioned glass , with a thick base that accommodates one large ice cube without letting it float. Above 35 cl, the glass becomes taller and narrower and is called a highball, which in practice is the same as long drink glasses.

Next, look at the sides and rim. Tempered glass has a thickened, factory-reinforced rim and is designed for daily dishwasher use. Lead-free crystal glass feels more elegant on the lips and shows the color of your drink better, but requires a little more care. If you have limited cupboard space, choose stackable glasses, because a tumbler that cannot be stacked quickly takes up twice as much shelf space. For home use, allow for six glasses of each size, and in the hospitality industry, two to three times your number of seats, so that a clean set is always ready while the rest is in the dishwasher.

For water and soft drinks, simply fill a tumbler to about two centimeters below the rim. Whisky is different: a neat pour is four to six centiliters, which looks deceptively small in a 35 cl glass, but that is exactly the point. The space above catches the alcohol vapors, and that is where the aroma you want to smell before tasting is found.

The low tumbler is also the glass in which you build cocktails directly instead of shaking them. A old fashioned is stirred in the glass itself, with sugar, bitters, and one large ice cube that melts slowly and gradually opens up the bourbon. A negroni goes in equal parts, stirred until cold and then poured over fresh ice. For both, a long bar spoon is more useful than a shaker, because stirred drinks should remain clear rather than become aerated. If you are using ice from the freezer, briefly rinse the cube under the tap before putting it in the glass. This slightly melts the outside, causing it to melt more slowly afterward and making your drink less watery.

Thick-walled tumblers are strong against knocks but sensitive to sudden temperature differences. Boiling water in a cold glass, or ice in a glass fresh out of the dishwasher, puts strain on the wall, and that is where the cracks appear. So let glasses cool down a moment before you fill them.

Stackable models are better not forced into each other. If two glasses do get stuck, stand the lower one in warm water and put cold water in the upper one, and they will come apart by themselves. Pulling and twisting both break rims. Beyond that, almost everything in this collection can go in the dishwasher on a short programme. A dull haze on tempered glass is usually limescale and comes off with vinegar in the rinsing water, but on old glass it can also be etching damage from years of washing too hot, and that is unfortunately permanent. Store tumblers upright rather than upside down, because the rim carries weight badly.

If you're mainly looking for something to put on the table with a meal, the smaller models are grouped under the water glasses. If it's whisky you're after, you'll find the heavier low glasses with a thick base under whiskey glasses. If you want one recognizable series for the entire home, the Duralex Picardie is the best-known, available in sizes from small to large, all with exactly the same shape so everything matches. If you're specifically looking for the tall, narrow model because you mainly add tonic or soft drinks, you're better off with long drink glasses. And if you still don't know which drink will go in it, you'll find the shapes sorted by cocktail in the menu to the right.