Friday, December 9, 2011

Verified Current Where to buy Nick&Nora Cocktail Glasses

I now have a verified current online source for the classic Nick & Nora Cocktail Glass! (Verified by ordering a half dozen which arrived yesterday.)

I apologize for leading you astray in my recent post on where to buy Nick and Nora cocktail glasses, which turned out to lead only to a defunct dead end, but my mistake was not for naught.  Indeed, on that post, the eminently helpful commenter Rick directed me to Tabletop Style, which sells the lovely glasses, which are, as Rick observes, "reasonably priced at $6.25 each...very sturdy and cleanly made." I would concur with that sentiment. I daresay they are even finer than the Nick and Nora Martini glasses I purchased a few years back I was originally trying to lead you to, being both more sturdy and more elegant. (You can see my previous post for more info on my search for the elusive glasses.)

These Nick&Nora cocktail glasses are part of Minners Classic Cocktails line, made by Steelite International. I don't know much about the history, but I gather that it is a fairly new line of glassware which has cropped up due to the recent cocktail revival. This pdf from Steelite.com (created 6/2/2011), indicates the Minners Classic Cocktails line as a new product. It's not just the Nick and Nora glass that is worthwhile, the Paris Coupe Champagne and Martini Saucer are pretty cool as well, I picked up a couple of those with my order.
(These two images are shots from steelite's pdf.)
They call the Nick & Nora glass 6 oz, and you can maybe fit a full 6 oz pouring right up to the rim and counting the meniscus, but I'd say 5 oz pretty much fills her, and 4 oz is a comfortable pour, looking neither generous nor stingy. Note this observation is a good thing, not a knock; who wants a 6 oz martini? If you, either you are drinking it too fast or you like warm booze. In short, it's a good fit for a proper cocktail. To compare it to the other version I have, that appears to be no longer in production, they are pretty much the same size, but the Steelite glass is thicker and has a much more gently sloping neck.
Steelite Minners on left, old one of unknown origin on right.
The Pegu Club in NYC, as I observed in this post, in the past used the same apparently defunct glass I had, but have switched to a new glass. I can't be sure, but if I had to hazard a guess, I'd bet that their current glasses are in fact from Steelite. Here's a quick pic I took in October, what do you think, same glass?
Nick&Nora in recent use at Pegu Club, NYC
One difference between Pegu's Nick and Nora Glass and the ones I received is that mine came branded with markings on the base, one "MCC" stamp and "RONA" opposite:
I assume "MCC" is for Minners Classis Cocktail, and as for Rona, from the Steelite pdf:
Established over 100 years ago, Rona still retains its historical links with the village in which it was founded. A century later Rona is recognized as one of the worlds leading manufacturers of non-lead crystal stemware.
But those don't bother me, and I imagine Pegu just special orders without the markings for their service. Anyway, they are fun glasses, and an interesting glass just adds that little special touch to the cocktail experience. You might think I'm crazy for going on this long about a glass, but let's be honest, if you've read this far your probably just as touched in the same way. I searched long and hard to find them, which makes getting them in my hot little hand all the more satisfying. Hope this helps expedite your search. And if nothing else, they'd make a great gift this holiday season for that cocktail obsessed friend of yours.
From http://www.tabletopstyle.com/Nick-Nora-Glass-p/4854r351.htm, order me there.