On paper, the rocks and the Old Fashioned glass serve similar purposes. Both are short glasses meant for holding neat pours, a spirit with an ice cube or two, or cocktails such as a Sazerac and, yes, an Old Fashioned.
Both glasses perform this job well, though there are a few key differences between the two. The biggest difference is the size: The Old Fashioned glass is smaller, sized to hold a single Old Fashioned with a large cube of ice or smaller cubes. The rocks glass (or double Old Fashioned glass) offers a larger capacity—ideal for a bigger mixed drinks or those with a generous amount of ice.
What else defines these two glasses? To help you find which glassware is right for your pour, we explored the slight differences and compared the top brands of both styles.
The Old Fashioned Glass
The Old Fashioned is an iconic drink, beloved by literary icons and bartenders alike. There were three drinks culinary legend James Beard swore by: a Dry Martini, a dry Daiquiri, and “an Old Fashioned without any refuse in the way of fruit.”
Early whiskey drinks weren’t served in the Old Fashioned glass as we know it today, however. In the 17th and 18th centuries, whiskey glasses were shallow, rounded silver or wooden glasses called quaichs.
The rounded bottom stuck around through the 18th century, and by then, glasses were known as tumblers. Legend has it that the glasses earned this name because they would tumble over and break if you set them down.
OLD FASHIONED GLASS FAST FACTS
This glass has a thick base to hold up to muddling
Generally smaller, holding 6–8 ounces
Ideal for neat pours, a spirit over ice, or drinks with few ingredients
Designed for the drink to be built in the glass
In 1862, Jerry Thomas wrote in his bartender’s guide that the Whiskey Cocktail (the earlier iteration of the Old Fashioned) was shaken over fine ice and strained into a “fancy” red wine glass.
Today’s Old Fashioned glass looks a little different. It holds between six to eight ounces, or a two-ounce pour of whiskey plus ice. An Old Fashioned glass features a low profile, a wide diameter, a thick base, and a flat bottom, perfect for muddling and large enough to hold a handful of small cubes or one nice, plump rock.
Old Fashioned glasses are designed for the drink to be built directly in them. In the case of an Old Fashioned, that means you’ll add sugar, bitters, a splash of water, and citrus peel to the glass, muddle until the sugar is dissolved, add ice and whiskey, and stir until dilution is achieved. Some alternative stirred and spirit-forward cocktails to make in this style of glass are a Sazerac, a Vieux Carré, and a Negroni.
The Rocks Glass
Although Old Fashioned, rocks, and lowball glasses are often advertised as the same thing, there are slight nuances that separate Old Fashioned glasses from rocks glasses. The primary difference is the size: As the name implies, Old Fashioned glasses are sized to hold exactly one Old Fashioned.
Rocks glasses vary more in size and are traditionally seven ounces or larger. Old Fashioned glasses were generally more popular before Kold-Draft and large-format ice trended, but now that large, slick, hand-cut ice has become a fixture of bars, larger rocks glasses have stepped into play.
ROCKS GLASS FAST FACTS:
Rocks glasses have larger capacities, usually 7 ounces or larger
Also known as double Old Fashioned glasses
Larger capacity makes the glass more versatile, as it can hold drinks with multiple ingredients
The size makes rocks glasses more versatile. With nearly double the capacity of an Old Fashioned glass, this glass is ideal for drinks that have a higher proportion of non-alcoholic mixers. You can make an Old Fashioned or opt for any number of other cocktails that have multiple ingredients such as a Penicillin or the Petronio from Alquímico, our Global Spotlight Winner 2023.
If you’re on the fence about which glass to buy, look for a rocks glass. There’s no need to own both glasses, and the rocks glass pulls double duty for Old Fashioneds and a wide range of other drinks.
