Barware Guide · 7 min read

The Amaro Glassware Guide

Six glasses, every amaro cocktail worth making. Which to use for a Paper Plane, a Spritz, a Boulevardier, or just two ounces of Fernet over a single perfect ice cube.

The complete kit: every glass an amaro drinker actually needs.

The glass matters more than people think. Amaro is a category built around aromatics — gentian, rhubarb, cinchona, orange peel, dozens of herbs you've never heard of — and the shape of the vessel you drink from decides how much of that you actually smell. A wide bowl opens up a stirred drink. A narrow column keeps a highball fizzy. A tiny snifter tells you, for the first time, what Fernet actually tastes like.

You don't need a hundred glasses. You need six. Here's what they are, what to make in each one, and how to spot a good one when you're shopping.

In this guide

01The Coupe
02The Nick & Nora
03The Rocks Glass
04The Highball / Collins
05The Wine Glass (for Spritz)
06The Cordial / Snifter
07FAQ

The Coupe

Champagne coupe · Marie Antoinette glass

Best for: Shaken, strained, no-ice amaro cocktails
Capacity: 5 – 7 oz

Wide, shallow bowl shows off color and aromatics. Stemmed so your hand never warms the drink.

If you only buy one glass for amaro cocktails, make it the coupe. It's the spiritual home of the modern Paper Plane, the Black Manhattan, and any other shaken amaro drink served 'up' (no ice). The shallow bowl funnels herbal aromatics straight to your nose, and the wide surface area lets the color — usually a glowing amber or deep mahogany — do the work. Look for a thinner-rim coupe (3–4mm) in 5 to 6 ounces; anything bigger and you'll be drinking a warm cocktail by the end.

Make these in it

Paper PlaneBlack ManhattanHanky PankyToronto

The Nick & Nora

Bistro glass · Small cocktail glass

Best for: Stirred, spirit-forward amaro cocktails
Capacity: ≈ 5 oz (150 ml)

Long stem, high-sided bowl, narrow mouth. Holds aromas in, resists spills, keeps cocktails colder longer.

The Nick & Nora has a long stem, a high-sided bowl, a narrow mouth, and a moderate capacity of about 5 US fluid ounces (150 ml). It's considered a more elegant alternative to the large wide-mouthed martini glasses that dominated bars in the 1980s — the tighter bowl and straighter sides hold in aromas better than wider martini glasses, are more spill-resistant, and keep cocktails colder longer. The shape resembles a coupe, though with a smaller diameter and higher sides, which makes it the connoisseur's pick for stirred, spirit-forward amaro drinks: a Hanky Panky with Fernet, a Fernet Martinez, a Bijou. Named after the cocktail-soaked detectives of The Thin Man (1934).

Make these in it

Hanky PankyFernet MartinezBijouBramble Stirred

The Rocks Glass

Old Fashioned glass · Lowball · Tumbler

Best for: Amaro on the rocks · Boulevardier · Sipping neat with ice
Capacity: 8 – 10 oz

Wide mouth handles a large ice cube. Heavy base centers a stirred drink visually and physically.

The rocks glass is the workhorse of any amaro setup. For the Amaro Boulevardier, a Negroni built on Cynar, or simply two ounces of Averna over one big cube of ice with an orange peel, this is the glass. Pick a tumbler with a heavy base (it should feel substantial in the hand) and a wide enough mouth to comfortably hold a 2-inch ice cube. Faceted or 'cut' patterns at the base catch the light and amplify the color of dark amari beautifully.

Make these in it

Amaro BoulevardierNegroni with CynarAmaro Old FashionedAverna on the rocks

The Highball / Collins

Collins glass · Tall tumbler

Best for: Amaro Highball · Amaro & tonic · Long, fizzy drinks
Capacity: 10 – 14 oz

Tall and narrow keeps carbonation alive longer. Holds enough ice to dilute slowly.

The Japanese highball revolution proved that an amaro with cold soda water and a perfect ice column is one of the most underrated drinks in the world. For a proper Amaro Highball, you want a glass that's taller than it is wide (roughly 6 inches tall, 2.5 inches across) so the bubbles travel further before they break. A Collins glass is functionally identical — slightly narrower, slightly taller. Either works. Pre-chill it in the freezer for 10 minutes before pouring.

Make these in it

Amaro HighballCynar & TonicAperol SodaAmericano

The Wine Glass (for Spritz)

Burgundy glass · Balloon glass · Copa de balon

Best for: Amaro Spritz · Hugo Spritz · Aperitivo hour
Capacity: 16 – 22 oz

Massive bowl holds plenty of ice, garnish, and Prosecco bubbles. The Venetian default.

Walk into any bar in Venice or Padua at 6pm and the spritz glass is everywhere — a huge stemmed wine glass packed with ice cubes the size of fists. The format is non-negotiable: the volume of ice is what keeps the drink cold without diluting too fast, and the wide bowl is the only thing that fits an orange wheel plus an olive plus a thumb's worth of garnish without looking ridiculous. A standard burgundy wine glass works perfectly. Bigger is better.

Make these in it

Amaro SpritzHugo SpritzSelect SpritzCynar Spritz

The Cordial / Snifter

Pony glass · Tasting glass · Liqueur glass

Best for: Sipping amaro neat · Caffè Corretto · After-dinner pours
Capacity: 2 – 4 oz

Small pour, focused aromatics. The only correct glass for tasting amaro neat.

To understand any amaro, you have to taste it neat. A small cordial glass or mini snifter (anything between 2 and 4 ounces, tulip-shaped if possible) is the right vessel. Pour an ounce, swirl gently, let it warm in your hand for thirty seconds, and inhale before sipping. This is also the correct glass for the Italian Caffè Corretto — pour the amaro alongside a fresh espresso and alternate sips. Skip a tall shot glass; the narrow rim kills the aroma entirely.

Make these in it

Fernet-Branca neatCaffè CorrettoVecchio Amaro del Capo (frozen)After-dinner pours

What to look for

How to buy good cocktail glasses

Thin rims. A rim under 4mm thick changes how the drink hits your lip and tongue. Cheap glasses have thick, beveled rims that dull every flavor.
Lead-free crystal. Modern lead-free crystal (sometimes called "crystalline") refracts light beautifully without the health concerns of leaded glass. Schott Zwiesel and Riedel both make excellent options.
Stable bases. A heavy, wide base on a rocks or highball glass means it won't tip when you stir. A weighted stem on a coupe keeps it balanced when full.
Dishwasher-safe ≠ dishwasher-best. The good stuff lasts longer if you hand-wash it. Hot water, mild soap, lint-free cloth.
Buy in pairs (or fours). Cocktails are social. You'll regret a single-glass purchase the first time you make a drink for someone.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about amaro glassware

What glass should I use for a Paper Plane?

A coupe glass, 5 to 6 ounces. The shaken Paper Plane is served 'up' with no ice, and the wide, shallow bowl of a coupe both shows off the cocktail's golden color and concentrates the herbal aroma of the Amaro Nonino.

What glass do you use for amaro on the rocks?

A heavy-based rocks glass (also called an Old Fashioned glass), 8 to 10 ounces, holding one large 2-inch ice cube. The wide mouth makes it easy to express an orange peel over the surface — the standard garnish for amaro on the rocks.

Can I use a wine glass for an Amaro Spritz?

Yes — and you should. A large stemmed wine glass (16 to 22 ounces, like a burgundy glass) is the traditional vessel for a spritz in northern Italy. The volume lets you pack the glass with ice, prosecco, amaro, and garnish without anything spilling over.

Do I really need a Nick & Nora glass?

If you make stirred amaro cocktails often, yes. The smaller capacity (4 to 5 ounces) keeps a stirred drink cold longer than a coupe, and the inward-curving rim concentrates aromas. A Nick & Nora costs about the same as a coupe and is more versatile for spirit-forward drinks.

What's the difference between a highball and a Collins glass?

Functionally none, for amaro. A Collins glass is slightly taller and narrower than a highball; both hold 10 to 14 ounces. Either works perfectly for an Amaro Highball, Amaro & Tonic, or any long, fizzy amaro drink.

Now mix something in them

Six recipes, six glasses. Start with the Paper Plane in a coupe and work your way down.

Start with the Paper Plane