L.S.A. Gems

The size is the same across all three sets: 56 cl per tumbler. That is generous, and deliberately so. It holds a lot of ice, which keeps your drink cold for longer, and an ordinary long drink does not fill the glass to the rim. If that feels too large for water at the table, this is not the range for you.

The difference lies in the colour. Assorted green runs from an almost transparent moss to deep bottle green and works on a wooden table. Assorted amber goes from pale honey to warm brown and sits well with whisky and dark drinks. Assorted pink is the softest of the three and suits light cocktails.

A 56 cl tumbler calls for ice right up to the rim. Fill the glass first, pour afterwards, and keep the ratio of spirit to mixer at roughly one to three. A gin and tonic with plenty of ice and a twist of peel comes into its own in this size, and the amber set is the obvious choice for a negroni over one large block.

If you are serving alcohol-free drinks, the extra room is an advantage: there is space for plenty of ice and lots of fresh fruit. Set the four shades on the table mixed up rather than in sequence, and the difference in colour shows most clearly.

Mouth-blown glass is thinner and less uniform than machine-made glass, and that calls for hand washing. L.S.A. does not make the Gems for the dishwasher: the combination of heat, rinse aid and glasses knocking against each other is exactly what thin blown glass fails under.

Wash them in lukewarm soapy water, rinse with clean water and dry with a linen cloth while the glass is still warm; that way no streaks are left behind. Small air bubbles and a slight irregularity in shape come with the technique and are not a defect.

If you are looking for more from this brand, the complete range is listed under L.S.A.. If you would rather compare by colour than by brand, take a look at the coloured glasses, where the smoked, blue and green ranges sit together. For the same shape in clear glass there are the tumblers, and if a 56 cl tumbler is not for you, the whisky glasses offer a smaller alternative.