Among our fellow citizens more and more fans of whiskey. They believe that this drink, which is similar in strength to vodka, has a much richer taste and aroma - even when compared with the varieties of the original drink, where honey, pepper, birch buds or something else are added. At the same time, supporters of Irish-Scottish alcohol assure that it is drunk softer, there is no hangover from it, and in general, drinking whiskey is more of a ritual and an occasion to socialize than the desire to "rush."
The most common misses in making
Having barely gained access to a drink previously familiar only from films, people made mistakes in its use. And they drank it in one gulp, like bad moonshine, and ate cream cheese, and poured it into piles, or even glasses. The most common "abuse" of whiskey was dilution with water, cooling in a freezer and mixing with Coca-Cola.
At the same time, the drink - naturally, of high quality - is among the noble ones along with cognac (again, real) or expensive right wines. Therefore, in order to get complete pleasure from it, you need to drink it as it should.
Consumption culture
Now whiskey lovers have already bought thick-bottomed glasses that do not expand upward and do not seek to lower its temperature below room temperature. Real connoisseurs now consider it less than personal dignity to have a favorite drink or to build suspicious “cocktails” from it. Some even understand the differences in traditional drinking whiskey of different origins: single malt Scotch - with a few drops of water; blended - with ice, water, and even with cola; Irish - with coffee or again with ice cubes; Jack Daniels - washed down with apple juice or added a little lemon juice to the drink ...
The universal tradition of drinking whiskey, cooling it with ice cubes, is increasingly expanding. And in general this is correct, but ...
Disadvantages of ice cooling
Of course, frozen cubes of water very quickly lower the temperature of the whiskey. But, unfortunately, not for long. The ice melts quickly in the drink, and after five minutes the cubes dissolve, and after ten your cup is as warm as it was before.
Let's not forget that ice is water. And as soon as it melted, it diluted your drink exactly to its volume. So his fortress is no longer the same, and the taste has changed, and the aroma, for which whiskey is especially loved, has significantly weakened.
In addition, you need to drink this drink with a temperature of 16 to 18 Celsius, and its sharp drops are extremely undesirable. Cooling should be gradual and unhurried. The ice cools whiskey very quickly, and then it heats up just as quickly. So catch the moment when the taste and smell will be exactly those!
At the same time, true connoisseurs of this alcohol firmly know that it cannot be diluted with water categorically. The only exception is undiluted Scotch whiskey, which is drunk in a completely special way: glasses are needed in a certain form, whiskey is poured a little, the glass is turned (at this point it is supposed to enjoy the smell), and only after that a few drops of water are dropped into the glass to fully open taste. But a few drops, not 50 grams! Yes, and the current whiskey of this type is already sold in bottles with the right amount of water.
The dilution with water of American bourbon is also justified . It seems to be whiskey, but half corn. Its taste, to put it mildly, is not for gourmets, so it requires camouflage. For her, both cola and juices are used - what ordinary ice is there! However, a quality Irish or Scottish product is worthless to anyone.
A gift for lovers of viskar
Someone Hellman named Andrew helped overcome the flaws of ice cooling. He found a unique solution - whiskey stones (whiskey stones in English). They are made from a special breed called steatite. For ordinary people, the name does not mean anything, but stone-cutters know that from ancient times steatite made dishes. The whiskey stones made from it are very durable. Probably, over the years, they will still collapse, but for your age, recruitment is definitely enough. Steatite does not react with whiskey, so it does not affect either the taste or aromatic qualities. And, since it naturally does not melt in the liquid, it does not lower the degree of a favorite drink. Those who have not yet encountered stones for whiskey may be afraid that they will damage the glass of their favorite glass, because they have sharp edges. However, such fears are groundless: steatite stone is not only durable, but also soft, so that the dishes will not be scratched.
Where and how to make the coveted pebbles
It is noteworthy that steatite can be obtained only in two places - in Vermont, in the homeland of the man who invented the elite stones for whiskey, and in Scandinavia. The second name of the miracle material is “soapstone”, although they can’t wash anything. Most likely, this name tried to describe its smooth and soft features.
Finish and polish the stones only by hand, and to obtain a high-quality result you need experienced professionals who undergo special training. That's why in an ordinary store you can’t buy stones for whiskey cheaply - the reviews of those who “pierced” this way are very sad. What people expected from their purchase, no one received. And often, elite alcohol was ruined.
Terms of use
In use, stones for cooling whiskey are extremely simple. Having bought (or received as a gift) this miracle, you need to carefully wash it in warm water - it travels from afar and will probably become dusty. You don’t need to wipe the stones, they themselves will dry out, and from the towel or napkin on the sides there may be villi.
When the planned consumption of whiskey is approaching, the stones are placed in the freezer for at least two hours. Further - as with ice: we lower cooling stones for whiskey into a glass (three or four pieces, depending on the portion), wait a bit and enjoy the process.
When the pleasant evening ends, the cubes are rinsed with water, this time cold, and put away in a packing bag so that they do not get dirty.
So it’s very convenient - stones for whiskey. Reviews, however, are somewhat capricious: they say that ice cools faster. True, but it keeps the desired temperature much less!
Useful for coffee lovers
In principle, the action of the pebbles is similar to the operation of a thermos - both seem to “preserve” the desired temperature. So, whiskey stones are quite suitable for maintaining “ardor” - the most positive reviews. Just so that your coffee does not cool down while you knock on the keyboard or think about a working problem, do not put the cubes in the freezer, but in the microwave. To prevent the cooling of the drink, it is enough to hold the stones in this unit for only half a minute.
Remembering that whiskey stones are chemically inert, it is easy to conclude that the smell of coffee will not penetrate them, and therefore will not spoil the taste of alcohol at the next party. A rinse will remove the smallest drops of tea or coffee that could remain on the cubes.
Choose the right one
Like any thing that has sharply become popular, cooling stones for whiskey quickly became the subject of copying and forging. The most common imitations are naturally Chinese. Since there is no right material in this country, it produces granite stones for whiskey. Reviews about them are extremely negative, since granite is a porous stone, adsorbs all odors and accumulates any bacteria. No one checks Chinese fakes, so even the quality of granite is not controlled, and it is impossible to say where it came from. Which, of course, threatens serious health problems.
A true, proper set of whiskey stones consists of nine cubes and a mandatory packing bag. The form is exclusively cubic. See the polyhedron - a fake; box - it is. And the edges of these cubes should not exceed two centimeters. Do not put bricks in whiskey!
The lowest price is 600 rubles (this is not a gift set). See for 300 - go to the quarry and collect granite debris for free. And keep in mind: so far you can order coveted stones only through the Internet. The bag lying on the counter immediately begins to raise doubts and suspicions. At a minimum, someone has already used it, that is, you will buy a second-hand. And even if they don’t save traces of use, not everyone likes second-hand, let it be “good.”.
Diversity of opinions
Those who have already tried stones for whiskey, reviews are very different. Most agree that the know-how is worthy of respect and attention and is worth the money that they ask for it. Of particular delight is the time that the cooling holds. Nevertheless, half an hour is enough to enjoy a drink and participate in a conversation, not rushing to catch the desired temperature.
However, there are supporters of the old way of cooling. They say: “Why stones for whiskey? It’s just a fashion and a show off. ” Honestly, among people with this opinion there are a lot of those who prefer to dilute whiskey with water or nostalgically with Coca-Cola. However, it is a private matter for everyone how to drink a drink they like.
Although with regard to fashion and “dressing up”, there is still some truth. This is not to say that whiskey stones are a must. Of course, this is an accessory, and very expensive. Of course, it is not needed every day. Among all the pleasant "unnecessary things" stones for whiskey can be called the elite. So after all, the drink itself is noble, and it was almost indecent to drink it from faceted glasses . So why not add an elite accompaniment to an elite drink?