The Absolute Best Vintage Glassware For Adding A Touch Of Elegance To Every Cocktail

What do balloons, hurricanes, and zombies all have in common? If you're reading this article because you're curious about vintage glassware, you may already know the answer: They're all classic cocktail glasses. But today, we're talking about the Nick and Nora glass, a style favored by Charlotte Voisey, executive director at Tales of The Cocktail. "I love stemmed glassware the most," Voisey told Chowhound in an exclusive chat about her vintage glassware preferences. "I find a long stem to be elegant to the eye and also to the touch when holding a cocktail in a stemmed glass." And out of all the stemmed glassware available, from champagne flutes to martini glasses, the Nick and Nora is the standout. This diminutive glass, which traditionally holds about 5 ounces of liquid, "is essentially a petite, rounded take on the Martini glass that has become popular again in recent years in cocktail bars," explains Voisey.

Nick and Nora glasses are commonly used for serving gimlets, martinis (or the 50/50, a gentler martini riff), and a variety of other fabulous cocktails. The smaller size, explains Voisey, is preferred for ice-cold cocktails in particular. It's easier to finish your drink before it loses its chill. (And, as has been pointed out elsewhere, you're less likely to overindulge when your drink is served in a smaller glass.) "The shape and style of a cocktail glass is absolutely critical to the drinking experience," sums up Voisey.

Because of the Nick and Nora's newfound popularity, it's easier now to find modern versions as well as vintage. "The recent cocktail renaissance from 2000 to today has seen all that is desired brought back or recreated to suit modern bar needs," says Charlotte Voisey. Today, she says, many modern bartenders are inspired by "The Golden Age of Cocktails" — aka the late 1800s to early 1900s. So it's not just the Nick and Nora that's enjoying a comeback, but also iconic glassware like the Sazerac, old fashioned glass, and even the punch bowl.

However, there are good reasons to collect true vintage glassware as opposed to modern recreations. "It is always worth looking for vintage glassware," says Voisey. "Anything of quality is worth saving; cut crystal, silver detail in particular, as well as really anything unique or with character that catches the eye — there is likely a lovely story behind each piece." The Nick and Nora glass itself has an interesting story. This elegant stemware was featured in a scene in the 1934 comedy/mystery movie "The Thin Man," starring characters Nick and Nora. The two meet up at a bar, and Nora asks how many martinis Nick had consumed by the time she arrived. He replies, "Six," so she orders the same, to be lined up on the edge of the table.

Decades later, master mixologist and entrepreneur Dale DeGroff was determined to find and use this forgotten style and size of glasses in his new establishment. It took some digging, but he saved the glass from obscurity — and we're so glad he did.