Rocks
6-10 ozShort, heavy-bottomed tumbler designed for spirits served over ice or muddled drinks.
History
Origin
The rocks glass — also called the old fashioned glass or lowball — traces its lineage to the heavy-bottomed tumblers used in American whiskey culture from the early 1800s. The name "old fashioned glass" comes directly from the Old Fashioned cocktail, which became popular in the 1880s at the Pendennis Club in Louisville, Kentucky. Bartenders needed a short, sturdy glass that could withstand muddling.
Evolution
The double old fashioned (DOF) emerged in the mid-20th century as cocktails got bigger and ice got better. Japanese bartending culture in the 1990s and 2000s elevated the rocks glass to an art form, with hand-carved ice spheres and diamonds cut to fit specific glass diameters. Modern craft bars now stock both single (6-8 oz) and double (10-14 oz) versions.
Why This Shape
The wide mouth accommodates large ice cubes or spheres that melt slowly, keeping spirit-forward drinks cold without excessive dilution. The heavy base provides stability for muddling and prevents tipping. The short profile keeps the drinker's nose close to the liquid surface, which matters for aromatic spirits like bourbon and mezcal.
Fun Fact
In Japanese bar culture, carving a perfect ice sphere for a rocks glass is a test of skill that can take years to master. Hidetsugu Ueno of Bar High Five in Tokyo can carve one in under 60 seconds with a knife — no molds.
Best For
Substitutes
Bartender's Tip
"Rocks glass" and "old fashioned glass" are the same glass. A double old fashioned (DOF) is just the bigger version (12-14 oz). When in doubt, use the bigger one.
Drinks Served in This Glass(172)
57 Chevy with a White License Plate
Shaken · Vodka
A Piece of Ass
Shaken · Amaretto, Bourbon
A True Amaretto Sour
Shaken · Amaretto, Bourbon
Agave-Free Spicy Margarita
Shaken · None (NA)
Alice in Wonderland
Shaken · Amaretto, Grand Marnier
Amaretto And Cream
Shaken · Amaretto
Amaretto Liqueur
Shaken · Vodka
Amaretto Sour
Shaken · Bourbon
Amaretto Stone Sour
Shaken · Amaretto
Amaretto Stone Sour Alternative
Shaken · Amaretto
Amaretto Sweet & Sour
Shaken · Amaretto
Americano
Built · Campari
Angelica Liqueur
Built · Vodka
Apple Cider Punch
Built · Bourbon
Apple Pie with A Crust
Shaken · Vodka
Aquafaba Whiskey Sour
Shaken · Bourbon
Arizona Stingers
Shaken · Vodka
Artillery Punch
Shaken · Brandy, Gin, Rum, Rye
Ashwagandha Golden Hour
Shaken · Bourbon
Autumn Color
Shaken · Bourbon
Avalanche
Blended · Kahlúa
Baby Eskimo
Blended · Kahlúa
Bible Belt
Shaken · Triple Sec
Black Russian
Stirred · Vodka
Blackberry Basil Vinegar
Built · None (NA)
Blind Russian
Blended · Baileys, Kahlúa
Bloody Punch
Shaken · Vodka
Boston Sour
Shaken · Bourbon
Boulevard
Shaken · Bourbon
Bounty Hunter
Shaken · Bourbon, Rum
Bourbon Elderflower Old Fasioned
Built · Wheated Bourbon
Bourbon Espresso
Shaken · Bourbon - all styles
Bourbon Limoncello
Stirred · Bourbon
Bourbon or Rye Whiskey
Built · Bourbon or Rye Whiskey
Bourbon Smash
Muddled · Bourbon
Bourbon Sour
Shaken · Bourbon
Bramble
Shaken · Gin
Brandy Cobbler
Built · Cognac
Brandy Fix
Built · Cognac
Brandy Sour
Shaken · Cognac
Brave Bull Shooter
Built · Kahlúa, Tequila
Bubble Gum
Shaken · Vodka
Caipirinha
Muddled · Cachaça
Caipirissima
Built · Rum
Caipironska
Shaken · Vodka
Canchanchara
Shaken · Rum
Captain Kidd's Punch
Shaken · Cognac, Rum
Carajillo
Built · None (NA)
Caribbean Orange Liqueur
Built · Rum
Carrot Kefir "Punch"
Shaken · Vodka
Chino Margarita
Shaken · Tequila
Chocolate Black Russian
Blended · Kahlúa, Vodka
Cinnamon & Black Walnut Old Fashioned
Built · Bourbon
Clarified Tropical Milk Punch
Complex · Rum
Coffee Liqueur
Built · Vodka
Coffee-Vodka
Built · Kahlúa, Vodka
Continental Sour
Shaken · Rye
Coquito
Shaken · Rum
Corn 'N' Oil
Shaken · Rum
Cranberry Cordial
Built · Vodka
Cryo-Basil Smash
Shaken · Gin
Daisy
Shaken · Gin
Dark Caipirinha
Built · Rum
Egg Nog - Healthy
Shaken · None (NA)
Egg-Nog - Classic Cooked
Shaken · Brandy, Rum
Eggnog
Shaken · Bourbon, Rum
Elderflower Caipirinha
Built · Cachaça
Empellón Cocina's Fat-Washed Mezcal
Built · Mezcal
Enzoni
Shaken · Gin
Ferrari
Shaken · None (NA)
Figgy Thyme
Shaken · Bourbon
Flat White Old Fashioned
Stirred · Vodka
Flying Dutchman
Built · Gin, Triple Sec
Frappé
Built · None (NA)
French Connection
Built · Cognac
French Negroni
Stirred · Campari, Gin, Lillet Blanc
Garibaldi Negroni
Stirred · Campari, Gin, Sweet Vermouth
Gin Basil Smash
Muddled · Gin
Gin Smash
Shaken · Gin
Godfather
Built · Scotch
Godmother
Built · Vodka
Gold Rush
Shaken · Bourbon
Grand Old Fashioned
Stirred · Bourbon, Grand Marnier
Grizzly Bear
Shaken · Amaretto, Kahlúa, Vodka
Irish Cream
Blended · Irish Whiskey
Jackhammer
Built · Amaretto
Jalisco Bramble
Shaken · Tequila
Jamaica Kiss
Blended · Kahlúa, Rum
Jungle Bird
Shaken · Rum
Just a Moonmint
Blended · None (NA)
Kentucky Colonel
Stirred · Benedictine, Bourbon
Keto Spicy Margarita
Shaken · Tequila
La Morena
Shaken · Kahlúa, Mezcal
Loch Lomond
Stirred · Scotch
Lord And Lady
Built · Rum
M&M
Built · Mezcal
Mai Tai
Shaken · Rum
Mala Santa
Shaken · Mezcal
Matcha Old Fashioned
Stirred · Bourbon
Metabolic Spicy Margarita
Shaken · Tequila
Mezcal Margarita
Shaken · Mezcal
Midnight Manx
Shaken · Baileys, Kahlúa, Vodka
Midori Sour
Shaken · None (NA)
Milk Punch
Shaken · Bourbon
Miso Margarita
Shaken · Tequila
Mother's Milk
Shaken · None (NA)
Mountain Bramble
Shaken · Bourbon
Mudslide
Shaken · Vodka
Negroni
Built · Gin
Negroni Sbagliato
Built · None (NA)
New York Sour
Shaken · Bourbon
Non-Alc Negroni
Built · None (NA)
Nutty Irishman
Built · Baileys
Oaxaca Old Fashioned
Stirred · Tequila, Mezcal
Old Fashioned
Built · Bourbon
Penicillin
Shaken · Scotch
Phony Negroni
Stirred · None (NA)
Picante De La Casa
Muddled · Tequila
Rosemary Old Fashioned
Built · Bourbon or Rye Whiskey
Royal Flush
Shaken · Whiskey
Rum Cobbler
Built · Rum
Rum Fix
Built · Rum
Rum Milk Punch
Shaken · Rum
Rum Old-fashioned
Stirred · Rum
Rum Smash
Muddled · Rum
Rum Sour
Shaken · Rum
Rusty Nail
Stirred · Scotch
Rye Cardamon Old Fashion
Built · Rye
Saulog
Shaken · Tequila
Sazerac
Stirred · Rye
Scotch Cobbler
Built · Scotch
Scotch Sour
Shaken · Scotch
Scottish Highland Liqueur
Stirred · Scotch
Screaming Orgasm
Shaken · Amaretto, Baileys, Kahlúa, Vodka
Sherry Eggnog
Shaken · Sherry
Skinny Margarita
Shaken · Tequila
Smashed Watermelon Margarita
Shaken · Cointreau, Tequila
Smut
Built · Vodka
Sol Y Sombra
Built · Brandy
Spicy Margarita
Shaken · Tequila
Spicy No-Garita
Shaken · None (NA)
Spiritless Kentucky Old Fashioned
Stirred · None (NA)
Stone Sour
Shaken · Bourbon
Super Foam Whiskey Sour
Shaken · Bourbon
Tequila Carajillo
Shaken · Tequila
Tequila Mockingbird
Shaken · Tequila
Tequila Sour
Shaken · Tequila
The Evil Blue Thing
Shaken · Triple Sec, Vodka
The Jimmy Conway
Shaken · Amaretto, Irish Whiskey
The Sugar Man
Stirred · Bourbon
Thriller
Shaken · Scotch
Ti Punch
Shaken · Rum
Tommy's Margarita
Shaken · Tequila
Tres Agaves
Shaken · Tequila
Turkeyball
Shaken · Amaretto, Bourbon
Vanilla Bean & Spiced Chocolate Old Fashioned
Built · Bourbon
Velvet Heat Margarita
Shaken · Tequila
Veteran
Built · Brandy, Rum
Vicente Fernandez
Shaken · Tequila
Vieux Carré
Stirred · Rye, Cognac
Whiskey Cobbler
Built · Bourbon
Whiskey Fix
Shaken · Bourbon
Whiskey Smash
Muddled · Bourbon
Whiskey Sour
Dry Shake · Bourbon
Whisky Mac
Built · Scotch
White Negroni
Stirred · Gin
White Russian
Shaken · Vodka
Whitecap Margarita
Shaken · Cointreau, Tequila
Winter Pine Old Fashioned
Stirred · Bourbon
Winter Rita
Shaken · Cointreau, Tequila
Yuzu Negroni
Stirred · Gin
Zipperhead
Built · Vodka