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Finger

Measure

A finger is a whiskey pour judged by eye, where the spirit fills the glass to the height of one finger.

Also called: two fingers

1 finger
About 1 to 1.5 oz (30 to 44 ml), depending on the glass
2 fingers
About 2 to 3 oz (60 to 90 ml)
One proposed standard
3/4 inch (2 cm) of liquid per finger in an old fashioned glass

What finger means

Whiskey drinkers use finger for a pour that fills a set height in the glass. You will hear it from a host, or when a bartender asks whether you want one finger or two of bourbon. It sounds exact, but it is a rough guide.

One finger of whiskey is about 1 to 1.5 oz (30 to 44 ml), and two fingers is about 2 to 3 oz (60 to 90 ml). Two fingers means roughly double one finger, but both are rough sizes, not rules. If you want a set amount, a shot is the closer match.

A lot of home bartenders assume two fingers is a fixed amount. The pour depends on the glass, and a wide rocks glass holds more whiskey per finger than a narrow one. Bars measure with a jigger, not with fingers, so a bar pour is more consistent.

How much is a finger of whiskey, and how to measure it

Your glass sets how much one finger holds, so check your eye against a jigger before you trust it.

  1. 1.Lay one finger flat across the outside of the glass at its base, then pour up to the top edge of that finger.
  2. 2.Expect about 1.5 oz (44 ml) per finger in a wide glass, and less in a narrow one.
  3. 3.Pour 1.5 oz (44 ml) with a jigger into the same glass, then note how high it sits.
  4. 4.For a set amount, order a shot or a double instead.

Finger compared

  • ShotA shot is measured as 1.5 oz (44 ml) in most US bars, while a finger depends on the glass and the hand that pours.
  • DramA dram is a loose word for a whisky pour with no measuring rule. A finger is at least judged against the glass.
  • DoubleA double is a set pour of two shots, usually 3 oz (89 ml). Two fingers lands in a similar range, but it is not fixed.

Related terms

Ingredients

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