You Should Have Riedel’s Highball Glasses on Your Home Bar — Here’s Why

How We Used the Riedel Highball Glasses

Highball glasses work best with their namesake drink. A highball cocktail — like a whiskey highball —  is usually a few ounces of a spirit poured over ice and then topped off with soda water. The term highball usually refers to a Scotch whisky-based drink, but the style can expand to other similar combinations — a gin and tonic, vodka soda, or even a refreshing Ranch Water recipe. 

To test the Riedel Highball, we made a handful of cocktails that are normally served in a tall drinking glass or tumbler. During the mixing process and while enjoying each drink, we paid close attention to the build quality of the glass and how it felt in the hand. We paid attention to the volume, the wash line, and the presentation of each drink. We also noted the ease of cleanup after making each cocktail.

What We Loved About the Riedel Highball Glasses 

The Riedel Highball glass sits right at the center of a Venn diagram that charts affordability, build quality, and design — the three most important factors to consider when evaluating glassware. The glasses are made of high-quality crystal and built with enough heft that they aren’t easily tipped over and cracked while simultaneously still feeling elegant in the hand. Its design is stylish, but minimal enough to not overwhelm. The vertical ridges help when condensation accumulates on the glass’s exterior, providing a bit of extra grip on a hot day. It’s also very easy to hand wash and after about eight months of regular, careful use, there are no noticeable signs of wear. 

It’s also an extremely versatile piece of glassware that can be used for a variety of different styles of cocktails. It works beautifully when serving classic mixed drinks like a gin and tonic, a whiskey highball, or any variation of that style, like a Paloma or mojito. It’s a perfect fit for more complex cocktails like a Queen’s Park Swizzle, or a Jungle Bird. And of course, the glass works well for iced tea, fruit juice, or any other nonalcoholic drinks.

The Caveats

The only real downside to the Riedel Highball glass is the capacity. It can hold around 11 ounces, whereas most others can hold between 13-16 ounces. The Riedel Highball’s capacity is perfect for many cocktails, but higher-volume drinks like the Zombie won’t fit easily. Also, as versatile as this glass is, it doesn’t work with every cocktail — it’s specifically meant to hold drinks served with ice cubes, pebble ice from a nugget ice maker, or ice spears.

The glass holds a bit too much volume to comfortably fit a drink like a Martini or a Daiquiri that’s traditionally served up in a proper coupe. It also can’t accommodate the large block of ice that Negronis or Old Fashioneds are poured over or large, round cubes from a spherical ice mold.

How They Compare

The Riedel Highball glass excels beyond the competition because it combines durability and design. The vertical ridges on the sides of the glass give the glass a bit more heft and weight without sacrificing any aesthetics. Most other competing glasses around this price point or cheaper have thinner walls without any adornments and tend to be either too thick and plastic-like or too fragile. 

The Verdict

For stylish, affordable, and sturdy glasses, you can’t go wrong with the Riedel Highball. Its versatility makes it a must-have for any aspiring home bartender. It’ll also look stunning sitting next to your matching crystal mixing glass. Although it shouldn’t be used to serve every cocktail, it covers so many classics that it should be a standard behind every home bar.

To buy: Riedel Highball Glasses, $45 at Amazon