Let's start with a definition; the Collins glass is named after the London waiter named John Collins, who served a mixture of genever gin, lemon juice, sugar, and water in the 19th century to his patrons in a glass that now shares his name . Well, isn't that spiffy? Yes, but what is it?! How do I know I have a Collins glass in my hand versus a highball, or delmonico, or zombie, or, or…

shush, will you? It's a fine question though, and I wish I had a straight and unequivocal answer for you, but alas, I'm a relativist, and here we are. Near as I can tell and from what I can find it's primarily a matter of both shape and volume. Let's take a look:

Basic highball/collins definitions

As you can see, both are chimney-style glasses and there's a generally accepted cut-off at 12oz which defines it as either a highball or collins. There is also a chimney-shaped glass in the 5-8oz range called a 'delmonico' or 'fizz' glass but they're rarely seen or used anymore. The form factor is important in that a double-old fashioned glass is usually 8-12oz like a highball but is shorter and stockier and has more of a bucket-shaped build. And, should I ever catch you making a drink which calls for a highball glass in a an old-fashined style glass I will most definitely come put the hurt on you. Why, you ask? Well, you're more likely to use a straw with the chimney-styled glasses and more likely to stir (with a sip/stirrer thingy) and drink from the side (and get an up-close and personal experience with the drink's garnish) using a bucket-style. So, you see, form meets function in the cocktail world too. Read More »