Nachtmann Ethno

Start by looking at what has to go in. The 30.4 cl tumbler is a classic old fashioned size: low, heavy in the base and wide enough for a large block of ice. The four colours run right through the glass, so you can tell guests apart without markers. The 42.2 cl glass is meant for latte macchiato and shows off the layers of milk and coffee. The 39.2 cl mug with a handle does the same job but keeps your hand off the hot glass. The 111.3 cl carafe belongs to the set and pours water or wine.

In the tumbler, spirits come into their own with one large block of ice rather than four small ones, because a big block has less surface area and therefore melts more slowly. Stir an old fashioned straight in the glass: sugar, a few drops of bitters, whisky on top and only then the ice, finishing with a strip of orange peel twisted above the surface. The same tumbler works for a negroni: equal parts gin, red vermouth and bitter, stirred and not shaken, because there is no juice in it.

Nachtmann makes Ethno from lead-free crystal glass, in which barium and zinc provide the clarity and the shine in the cutting. That crystal is harder than ordinary glass, but the relief holds on to soap residue if you rinse too hot. The series may go in the dishwasher on a short programme and preferably not above fifty degrees. Let the carafe drain upside down so no water is left standing in the neck.

If you are looking for a different pattern from the same brand, take a look at the rest of Nachtmann. For coffee with milk without relief, the plain coffee glasses are calmer. If you only want the carafe and not the glasses, the individual models are with the carafes. And to keep the motif really clean on the inside, a glass brush with a soft head is handier than a cloth.