Nick & Nora
5-6 ozElegant, rounded stemmed glass smaller than a coupe, named after the Thin Man cocktail couple — the refined choice for spirit-forward drinks.
History
Origin
The Nick & Nora glass is named after Nick and Nora Charles, the glamorous detective couple from Dashiell Hammett's 1934 novel "The Thin Man" and its film adaptations starring William Powell and Myrna Loy. The characters were famous for their witty banter and constant cocktail consumption. The glass itself is a modern creation — it didn't exist during the films. It was designed in the early 2000s by the craft cocktail community as a deliberate alternative to the martini glass.
Evolution
The Nick & Nora was popularized by Dale DeGroff and other leaders of the cocktail renaissance in the early 2000s. It was conceived as a smaller, more refined vessel than the coupe — better for spirit-forward drinks where you want a smaller pour that stays cold. By the 2010s, it became the signature glass of high-end cocktail bars, signaling that a bar takes its drinks seriously.
Why This Shape
The rounded bowl with a slight inward taper at the rim does two things: it concentrates aromatics (more than a coupe) and it resists spilling (the curved sides contain liquid better than a flat coupe). The smaller capacity (5-6 oz vs 7 oz for a coupe) means the drink stays colder throughout consumption. The elegant stem is slightly longer than a coupe's, adding visual height.
Fun Fact
In the Thin Man films, Nick Charles (William Powell) drinks an astonishing number of martinis — estimates range from 8 to 12 per film. The character famously declared that the proper ratio of shaking a martini matched the rhythm of a waltz.
Best For
Substitutes
Bartender's Tip
The smaller bowl means the drink stays colder longer than in a coupe. Many bartenders now prefer this over a coupe for Martinis — it is the mark of a bar that pays attention.