Onis 1924

The difference between the two coupes is bigger than the figures suggest. The 14 cl is the historical size: a small bowl in which a shaken cocktail of six to eight centilitres sits neatly and gets drunk before it turns lukewarm. The 24.5 cl is the modern, roomier version that also handles champagne or a cocktail with a bit more volume, but which you never fill to the rim. The 62 cl gin and tonic glass is the opposite: plenty of room for ice, tonic and garnish. The 26.5 cl wine glass is the compact bowl for house wine. Compare the sizes at the champagne coupes and the gin and tonic glasses.

A coupe is an open glass without ice, so the temperature of the glass is the only thing keeping the drink cold. Put the bowl in the freezer or fill it with iced water while you shake. Pour to well below the rim and carry it by the stem. A daiquiri fits the small coupe exactly; the large one takes an espresso martini with its layer of foam without it spilling over the rim. Fill the gin and tonic glass completely with ice first and only then with the drink.

The 1924 is hospitality glass and goes through a glasswasher without losing its shine straight away. Wash on a short programme, rinse with soft water and let the bowls drain upside down on a rack. Coupes are vulnerable at the rim because it is thin and wide: do not put them against each other in the basket and never stack them. When unloading, take hold of the foot and not the bowl.

For a full overview of cocktail shapes side by side there is the cocktail glasses category. The brand itself, with both classic and modern lines, can be found at Onis. The tools that go with this series are among the cocktail shakers and the bar spoons. If you find the coupe too shallow and tend to spill while carrying it, the coupette with its higher wall does the same job with less risk of a wet hand.