Luigi Bormioli Top Class

Four sizes, and the difference is mainly in the height. The double old fashioned of 36.5 cl is low and wide, with enough diameter for a large ice cube that melts slowly. The hi-ball of 37.5 cl holds roughly the same but is tall and narrow, meant for mixed drinks with plenty of tonic or cola.

The tumbler of 45 cl is the roomiest of the four and works just as well for water at the table as for a long drink. The liqueur glass of 23 cl is the smallest size, suited to a digestif or a short drink over ice.

In a double old fashioned you build the drink in the glass itself. For an old fashioned, put the sugar and bitters in the bottom, then a large ice cube, then the whisky, and stir for half a minute until the outside of the glass frosts over.

The hi-ball calls for the reverse order: ice all the way to the top first, then the spirit, then the mixer poured down the side. That keeps a cuba libre fizzing without any need to stir. Squeeze the lime over the glass and drop the peel in.

SON.hyx is chemically tempered, which means the surface is under tension and therefore stands up better to knocks. Luigi Bormioli backs this range with a long-term guarantee against clouding in the dishwasher, which matters most if you wash the glasses daily.

Load the tumblers upright and never stacked inside one another. Glasses that suction together rarely come apart in one piece.

Other ranges from the brand are gathered under Luigi Bormioli. If you shop by shape, the tumbler glasses bring all the straight-sided models together, while the old fashioned glasses hold the low, wide ones. For stirring in the glass itself there are the bar spoons, and if you work with large blocks you will find the matching moulds and tongs under ice tools.