What’s the Distinction Between a Rocks Glass and an Previous Long-established Glass?

On paper, the rocks and the Previous Long-established glass serve related functions. Each are quick glasses meant for holding neat pours, a spirit with an ice dice or two, or cocktails akin to a Sazerac and, sure, an Previous Long-established.

Each glasses carry out this job effectively, although there are just a few key variations between the 2. The most important distinction is the dimensions: The Previous Long-established glass is smaller, sized to carry a single Previous Long-established with a big dice of ice or smaller cubes. The rocks glass (or double Previous Long-established glass) gives a bigger capability—excellent for a much bigger combined drinks or these with a beneficiant quantity of ice.

What else defines these two glasses? That can assist you discover which glassware is true in your pour, we explored the slight variations and in contrast the highest manufacturers of each types.

The Previous Long-established Glass

The Previous Long-established is an iconic drink, beloved by literary icons and bartenders alike. There have been three drinks culinary legend James Beard swore by: a Dry Martini, a dry Daiquiri, and “an Previous Long-established with none refuse in the best way of fruit.” 

Early whiskey drinks weren’t served within the Previous Long-established glass as we all know it at the moment, nevertheless. Within the seventeenth and 18th centuries, whiskey glasses have been shallow, rounded silver or picket glasses known as quaichs.

The rounded backside caught round by means of the 18th century, and by then, glasses have been often known as tumblers. Legend has it that the glasses earned this identify as a result of they might tumble over and break should you set them down.

In 1862, Jerry Thomas wrote in his bartender’s information that the Whiskey Cocktail (the sooner iteration of the Previous Long-established) was shaken over high-quality ice and strained right into a “fancy” purple wine glass.

Immediately’s Previous Long-established glass seems to be somewhat totally different. It holds between six to eight ounces, or a two-ounce pour of whiskey plus ice. An Previous Long-established glass contains a low profile, a large diameter, a thick base, and a flat backside, excellent for muddling and huge sufficient to carry a handful of small cubes or one good, plump rock.

Previous Long-established glasses are designed for the drink to be constructed instantly in them. Within the case of an Previous Long-established, meaning you’ll add sugar, bitters, a splash of water, and citrus peel to the glass, muddle till the sugar is dissolved, add ice and whiskey, and stir till dilution is achieved. Some different stirred and spirit-forward cocktails to make on this model of glass are a Sazerac, a Vieux Carré, and a Negroni.

The Rocks Glass

Though Previous Long-established, rocks, and lowball glasses are sometimes marketed as the identical factor, there are slight nuances that separate Previous Long-established glasses from rocks glasses. The first distinction is the dimensions: Because the identify implies, Previous Long-established glasses are sized to carry precisely one Previous Long-established.

Rocks glasses fluctuate extra in dimension and are historically seven ounces or bigger. Previous Long-established glasses have been typically extra in style earlier than Kold-Draft and large-format ice trended, however now that giant, slick, hand-cut ice has change into a fixture of bars, bigger rocks glasses have stepped into play.

The dimensions makes rocks glasses extra versatile. With practically double the capability of an Previous Long-established glass, this glass is right for drinks which have a better proportion of non-alcoholic mixers. You can also make an Previous Long-established or go for any variety of different cocktails which have a number of substances akin to a Penicillin or the Petronio from Alquímico, our World Highlight Winner 2023.

In case you’re on the fence about which glass to purchase, search for a rocks glass. There’s no must personal each glasses, and the rocks glass pulls double obligation for Previous Fashioneds and a variety of different drinks. Bonus: the Yarai Rocks Glass from Cocktail Kingdom doubles as an impromptu mixing glass.