Cigar Spirits: Whisky Stones by Teroforma
18 Feb 2013
“Put a chill in your whisky without diluting the dram of your dreams.†That’s the clever tagline for, and the concept behind, Whisky Stones, a product distributed by Teroforma.
Some of us, myself included, prefer our whisky colder than room temperature. Others like to add a splash of water to round the edges and open up the flavors. And still others are looking for both.
For folks in the latter category, ice is the preferred solution. But what if you want to chill your whisky without adding any water? Or what if you want to carefully control how much water gets added? That’s where Whisky Stones come in. They chill liquid without melting or adding flavors. And they definitely spark conversation if you’re entertaining.
Whiskey Stones ($25 for 9 cubes) are made from soapstone in Vermont. “The stones are non-porous and will impart neither flavor nor odor,†reads the package. “More gentle than ice, Whisky Stones can be used to cool down your favorite spirits just enough to take the edge off without ‘closing down’ the flavors.â€
Before use, Whisky Stones are supposed to be placed in a freezer for at least four hours. After use, they can be rinsed, dried, and returned to the freezer. The talc-based soapstone is “particularly effective at retaining temperature for extended periods of time.â€
Three stones are recommended for each serving of whisky, with the liquid height barely exceeding the height of the stones (as seen in my picture). In my experience, after about five minutes this makes the whisky noticeably colder—but not as cold as a similar volume of ice would have made the drink. If you are impatient and drink the whisky in less than five minutes, you may not experience much change in temperature at all. But if you take your time, and if you’ve ever accidentally killed your drink with excess melted ice, Whisky Stones are worth looking into.
Truthfully, I enjoy having them in the house, and especially like them when I have friends over for a cigar and some whisky or rum. Hopefully the effectiveness of the stones doesn’t wear off over time. I’m not fond of the name, though; I don’t like to be reminded of the existence of kidney stones—especially when I’m relaxing with a drink.
photo credit: Stogie Guys
Patrick Ashby
Co-Founder & Editor in Chief
Patrick Semmens
Co-Founder & Publisher
George Edmonson
Tampa Bureau Chief
Yeah, you'd think they would have come up with a name, or at least a tag line, that plays off of having a drink on the rocks.
Yes Patrick A, they work, got them for Christmas, love those ''stones''.
Have a bunch of these around from when Ed L. did a thing with Partagas and these stones. I keep them in the freezer, and bust them out as a novelty from time to time. I prefer my liquid colder, faster, with the added benefit of the melting ice mellowing out the whiskey. But the stones are a good conversation piece.
I don't have my own set, but having used other peoples, it seems like more of a a novelty and conversation piece than something I'd ever use regularly. If colder whiskey without being watered down is the goal, then simply putting the bottle in the freezer for 10 minutes before pouring seems like it would work better.
On the other hand, if I'm "tasting" whiskey I'm more likely to add a splash of room temperature water which often opens up the flavors and mellows some of the alcohol burn without dulling my tastebuds like ice does.
The stones also work to keep a drink warm. If you like your drink on the warmer side but have to smoke your cigars outside these work well to slow down the cooling of your drink in the winter months. Obviously for this to work the stones should be put in at room temp.
Good review, thanks
I was given some of these (different brand) and I agree that they are more of a novelty to me than anything, since I prefer my whiskey neat with just a tiny splash of distilled water. I'm also not fond of the clunky/clanky noise they make in the glass, plus they don't fit very well in the small snifter type glass I often use. But to each his own…
I've just never understood the appeal of these things. If you want cold whiskey, keep the bottle in the fridge. There, I just saved you the cost of whiskey stones.