Highball

A highball glass is a tall, narrow glass typically sized 10 oz to 16 oz, designed for cocktails served over plenty of ice with a high spirit-to-mixer ratio. The shape keeps drinks cold and preserves carbonation. Bartenders use highballs for the Gin & Tonic, Tom Collins, Mojito, Aperol Spritz, Whiskey Highball, Bloody Mary, and any drink that needs room for ice, citrus, and a long pour. Glassique Cadeau highballs are hand-blown lead-free crystal in vintage 1920s, Art Deco, and modern silhouettes – gift-ready in our signature box.

Highball and Collins glasses are very similar – both are tall, narrow glasses for long drinks served over ice. The technical difference: a highball is shorter (10–12 oz) and wider; a Collins is taller (12–16 oz) and narrower. Highballs serve Gin & Tonic and Whiskey Highballs. Collins glasses serve the Tom Collins, Mojito, and other tall mixed drinks with more dilution. In practice, the names are often used interchangeably – most home bars only need one tall glass shape.

A Tom Collins glass is a tall, narrow tumbler (typically 12–16 oz) named after the Tom Collins cocktail (gin, lemon juice, sugar, soda water). The shape is taller than a highball and narrower than a goblet, designed for long mixed drinks with plenty of ice and effervescent mixers. Today, the Collins glass serves not just the Tom Collins but the Mojito, the Tom Collins's gin and vodka cousins, and any cocktail that needs room for ice plus a tall pour.

Two completely different glass shapes. A highball is a tall, narrow glass (10–16 oz) for long drinks served over ice – Gin & Tonic, Tom Collins, Mojito, Aperol Spritz. A lowball is a short, wide, heavy-bottomed glass (8–12 oz) for spirit-forward cocktails served over a single large ice cube – Old Fashioned, Negroni, whiskey neat. Highballs prioritise ice volume and carbonation. Lowballs prioritise spirit concentration and aromatic release. You need both for a complete home bar.

Highball glasses are the right shape for long drinks served over ice with a high mixer-to-spirit ratio. Classic highball cocktails: the Gin & Tonic, the Mojito, the Tom Collins, the Aperol Spritz, the Hugo, the Whiskey Highball, the Bloody Mary, the Paloma, the Dark 'n' Stormy, the Cuba Libre, the Greyhound, and the John Collins. The tall shape gives room for ice, citrus garnishes, and a generous mixer pour. For shorter spirit-forward cocktails, reach for a lowball instead.

Highball glasses typically range from 10 oz to 16 oz. The 10–12 oz size is standard for everyday Gin & Tonic and Whiskey Highballs. The 14–16 oz size suits longer drinks with more mixer (Mojitos, Tom Collins, Aperol Spritz). Glassique Cadeau highballs range from 14 oz Mykonos modern highballs to vintage 1920s sizes. The right glass size depends on whether you want a tighter pour or room for plenty of ice.

The classic glass for a Gin & Tonic is a tall highball or Collins glass – the narrow shape preserves carbonation and gives room for plenty of ice. The Spanish style is the Copa de Balón (balloon goblet) – a wide-bowled stemmed glass that lets gin's botanicals open up. Either works; the highball is the everyday choice, the balloon is the showcase choice. Glassique Cadeau makes both – highballs for the classic Anglo-style G&T and Copa de Balón goblets for the Spanish style.

Glassique Cadeau hand-blown lead-free crystal glasses are dishwasher safe on a gentle, low-temperature cycle – but hand washing is the safer long-term choice for keeping rims smooth and crystal clarity intact. Use warm water and a mild detergent, avoid extreme temperature changes (never put a frozen glass into a hot wash), and air-dry on a soft cloth. For sets with gold rims, painted detail, or hand-cut crystal – the Octagonal Gold-Rim Coupes and the Art Deco Speakeasy Lowballs in particular – hand wash only to preserve the finish.

Yes – lead-free crystal is the modern standard for premium glassware and is safe for everyday use with any beverage. Traditional lead crystal contained up to 32% lead oxide, which improved clarity and weight but could leach trace lead into spirits stored long-term in decanters. Lead-free crystal (sometimes called crystalline or potassium-zinc crystal) uses barium, zinc, or potassium oxides instead, delivering the same brilliance, weight, and ring without the safety concern. Every Glassique Cadeau glass is hand-blown from lead-free crystal and tested to comply with FDA and EU food-contact standards.

Yes – every Glassique Cadeau set ships in our signature gift box, ready to wow at unboxing. The box is structured, branded, and printed with the cocktail recipe for the glass inside (an Old Fashioned recipe with our lowballs, a French 75 with our coupes, a classic Martini with our martini glasses). No additional gift wrap needed. For weddings, housewarmings, engagements, anniversaries, and birthdays, every set is already presentation-ready straight out of the shipping carton.

Yes – Glassique Cadeau offers free standard shipping on every U.S. order over $89. Most sets ship the next business day from our warehouse, with delivery in 3-6 business days. Every shipment is packed with reinforced padding and tracked end-to-end, and any breakage in transit is replaced free of charge. Expedited shipping is available at checkout for time-sensitive gifts (weddings, milestone anniversaries, holiday deadlines).

Hand wash Glassique Cadeau crystal glasses in warm water with a mild detergent, then air-dry upside down on a soft cloth or stemware rack to prevent water spots. Avoid extreme temperature changes – never pour ice into a hot-from-the-dishwasher glass or hot liquid into a refrigerated one, since thermal shock can crack crystal. Store stemware upright (not on the rim) to protect the lip. For gold-rimmed, painted, or hand-cut sets, hand wash only. Lead-free crystal is durable, but it rewards gentle handling – every glass is hand-blown, so each one is unique.