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Nick and Nora Glass

(Nick 'n Nora Glass)

What is a Nick and Nora Glass?

The Nick and Nora glass is a stemmed glass that is used for serving stirred or shaken cocktails. It can be used for pretty much any drink that would otherwise be served in a Martini glass or coupe glass, though we’ve found that it most commonly sports spirit-forward drinks without citrus—at least that seems to be the trend in recent years.

Drinks served in a Nick and Nora glass are considered “up,” and should never be served with ice (if you want your drink on the rocks, use an Old-Fashioned glass or highball glass). The stem prevents them from getting too warm in the drinker’s hand, but they should always be chilled in the fridge or freezer before serving regardless.

The Nick and Nora glass takes its name from the main characters of The Thin Man, a 1934 comedy-mystery film about a retired detective who gets hired to find a missing man. The main characters, Nick and Nora Charles, sip cocktails out of these glasses throughout the film (and its sequels), and popularized the design as a result.

Today, Nick and Nora glasses serve as a throwback to the good old days, and are often used by craft cocktail bartenders to put a fun twist on classic and modern drinks alike.

Buy Nick and Nora Glasses

For many spirit-forward up cocktail recipes, a 5oz Nick and Nora glass are the perfect size (anything larger is simply too much glassware). If you’re looking to buy some Nick and Nora glasses for use in your home bar, we recommend a few varying styles from Amazon:

Drinks served in the Nick and Nora Glass