When it comes to cocktail research, sometimes smaller is better. You can learn as much from a small drink as from a larger one, and you keep your wits about you longer.

These days, when you get a cocktail at a restaurant or a bar, it is likely to be served in a glass that is far larger than was the norm when the classic coktails were formulated. It serves the bar's interests to get a reputation for generous drinks, and the markup on liquor is so good that they can afford to be generous - to a fault.

It is not hard to find older glassware in antiques shops, some of them quite attractive. The prices vary widely, depending upon how recognizable and collectible a pattern is, but they are only just now becoming fashionable and deals can be found.

In the photo above you see an antique and a modern version of three classic glasses:

Glass                  Modern     Antique

Cocktail Glass        6oz              3oz

Short Glass            6oz              4oz

Snifter                  6oz               4oz