Martini glass
The conical stemmed glass most people picture when they hear 'cocktail'. Its wide mouth releases aroma readily, and its sloping sides are also why it spills so easily — the coupe has largely displaced it behind bars for exactly that reason.
What it's for: Serving stirred or shaken drinks up, without ice.
Don't have one?
A coupe or any small stemmed glass does the same job with less spillage.
Chill it thoroughly — a warm one undoes a good stir immediately. The wide surface area that lifts aroma also warms the drink faster than a coupe, so it rewards drinking promptly.
Buying guidance
Smaller is better. The oversized versions common in the 1990s hold far more than a properly-made cocktail, which means the last third is always warm.
Cocktails served in this glass
4 recipes call for it as their glass of choice.
Also served this way
These lead with a different glass but are properly served in a martini glasstoo. They are listed without photographs because each one's picture shows the glass it leads with.