Anyone ever try whiskey stones?

[whiskeynwine]

Most times I prefer my whiskey neat but slightly chilled. I was adding small amounts of ice to accomplish this but as you know ice melts and that will dilute the whiskey and in many cases lessen the pleasure. I came across whiskey stones while shopping at a Sur-La-Table store. These stones are a Vermont soapstone that is milled into small cubes. You store them in the freezer and when desired you place in your glass and pour your whiskey over them and let the rest for a minute or two. This cools the liquid without diluting. If drinking a cask strength or more robust spirit you can always add a drop or two of spring water. These stone do not absorb any liquid and impart no taste to your drink. Just rinse and put back in the freezer. You can view them on their website @ www.surlatable.com

[MIKA27]

Never, ever heard of these WW, but I'll look them up as I have to agree, I love my Scotch, Whiskey neat but sometimes a little chilled is great without it getting diluted.

Another way around that is placing the bottle in the fridge/freezer.

Interesting concept however, thanks for posting!

[whiskeynwine]

Good thought but placing the bottle in the fridge/freezer will make it too cold and will change the way it tastes. Kinda like adding too much water, its a fine line between perfect and overdone.

[thechenman]

I've heard of and seen whiskey stones before, but I just use ice cubes. The little ice that does melt before I finish my drink is slight...kinda like adding a little water to your scotch...so it does not bother me at all. Speaking of popping whiskey into your freezer...try it with JW Gold. Absolutely fantastic out of the freezer.

[MIKA27]

Speaking of popping whiskey into your freezer...try it with JW Gold. Absolutely fantastic out of the freezer.

I'll second that Chenman. Great stuff!

[B.HOBS]

My wife got me a set of these for Christmas. I am eager to try them out in a dram soon. Definitely a cool little gift.

[riderpride]

Sounds interesting; might have to give these a try.

Thanks!

[Mojo Risin]

I have some. I have mixed feelings about them. The good is they dont dilute the flavor of what you are drinking. But they dont really cool down the liqour very much.

[Turrbo]

I got 4 boxes of these for Christmas this past year. I jus used them for the first time a few weeks ago. They're cool to look at and have but as stated they don't work too well. Also they don't recommend it for a hefty glass. Meaning you should only fill the glass until the liquor covers the stones.

Because I did get so many it is a conversation piece when a few friends come over because I have enough for them. But each box comes with 9 cubes, and you need about 3-4 cubes per glass. And thy don't last long at all, not that they melt away but they just don't keep the fluids cool long.

[tsolomon]

I got some for Xmas and they don't work well at all. One small cube of ice will do more to chill and open up a glass of bourbon and you won't have to wash them you're done.

[PLUSH]

I got these from the wife and kids about a year and half ago for father's day. They got them from SLT as well. I used them a couple of times. Now they just sit in the fridge in their little cloth baggie.

[Guest rob]

I also got a box of these at Christmas... I did use them once, but found that it wasnt for me. Not because of any flaw in the product... but I dont like my whiskey chilled.

In fact, contrary to convention, I prefer whiskey warmed in the same way I would a brandy or cognac - I find that warmed whiskey releases some amazing flavours and aromas that are otherwise locked away.

[ZinZan]

I got the whisky ice ball, which works great keeping the whisky chilled and minimal dilution. For the purist it still not be acceptable.

[Peter11216]

I prefer my whisky warm as well. I think that's why whisky glasses are shaped like they are, so you can hold the bottom of the glass and warm the whisky slightly with your body temp.

I saw some whiskey stones in a store the other day. However, I agree with Clint, I'm really unclear on why you would want to cool down good whiskey. I find I can taste it better when it is not cold, (refer to Rob's comment, too). In addition, adding water can help bring out flavors. So the whole idea seems a little off to me. To the extent, you want to cool down your whiskey, I think you'd want a bit of water anyway.

Seems to me like something of a gimmick.

[aglanixp]

I saw these in a catalog and I just had to try them! I made a few sets of these in the shop I work at. I have 4 at home and gave the others away as gifts.

I made them out of dark green soapstone (like the originals in the catalog). They use soapstone because it is such a dense material it does not "absorb" much liquid and will hold temperature very well.

I made them at 1.25" x 1.25" (or 3cm x 3cm for those of you on the metric) and polished them up nice with some gradually softer polishing pads.

They look awesome!

They work like crap. I like to put one ice cube in my whisky. I usually drink it down before the cube has melted much at all.

But the ice does flavor the whisky some because we use tap water for our cubes.

I thought I could use the stones and use filtered water to dilute, but the stones do not cool the drink much at all.

The other people I gave them to also said they do not like them.

[paindoc70]

Yes, and the basic principle is that they don't dilute your whiskey as ice does. Personally, much of the whiskey I collect and drink is in the 107 to 120 proof range, which I find much more flavorful if you can take the heat. In most cases, you can find ice molds for large cubes (approx. 3X3 inches) at wine shops/bed & bath shops etc. If you go to this trouble, please also use filtered or spring water so it doesn't affect the nose or flavor of the spirit in any way. This gives you as much ice volume with as little surface area as possible, cooling your drink, but melting much more slowly than multiple cubes. Also, as a fine cigar evolves in flavor profile as you smoke it, many fine whiskeys change flavor profiles as they dilute. In other words, gradual dilution in SOME whiskeys (good ones) can actually evolve and develop new flavors and thus complexity as the proof diminishes. Of course in many lower proof offerings, dilution simply leaves it flaccid and weak. These are the ones where I think the stones makes sense. Hope this helps.

[Guest phil]

Yes, and the basic principle is that they don't dilute your whiskey as ice does. Personally, much of the whiskey I collect and drink is in the 107 to 120 proof range, which I find much more flavorful if you can take the heat. In most cases, you can find ice molds for large cubes (approx. 3X3 inches) at wine shops/bed & bath shops etc. If you go to this trouble, please also use filtered or spring water so it doesn't affect the nose or flavor of the spirit in any way. This gives you as much ice volume with as little surface area as possible, cooling your drink, but melting much more slowly than multiple cubes. Also, as a fine cigar evolves in flavor profile as you smoke it, many fine whiskeys change flavor profiles as they dilute. In other words, gradual dilution in SOME whiskeys (good ones) can actually evolve and develop new flavors and thus complexity as the proof diminishes. Of course in many lower proof offerings, dilution simply leaves it flaccid and weak. These are the ones where I think the stones makes sense. Hope this helps.

[Guest phil]

I have used stones for years and after three years research and development, I am selling them in Australia. Ice dilutes the drink... and warming too much evaporates the alcohol... The principle is that if you just cool it a little, it stays at 'cellar temp' for long enough.

Those poor connoisseurs that brew your scotch will tell you they took ancient glacier water and filtered it twenty times to be as pure as possible and you go and put random tap-water ice cubes in it! Makes it too cold, congeals the wood oils and pollutes it with water.... yahhh! If you like it warm like brandy that is up to you, but you can't beat a gentle cooling of stones. If you want some, get in touch with me... [email protected] and I will sort you out.