Reddit mentions: The best barware tool sets

I would never go for a manhattan shaker. They are notorious for locking up, as soon as there's a bit of liquid in the cracks (unless you buy really expensive japanese ones). They are also harder to clean than the simple two cups of a boston shaker, and the extra strainer isn't really hard to use.

I haven't used a parisian shaker, but that seems like it could do fine, but might lock up on you.


My own kit is made of a lot of individual stuff. Some from amazon, some from local shop, and some from china. If you want, I can do a writeup of where i got it, but since it's from china, it will take a month before you will receive the goods. However, the guys behind AbarAbove.com recently launched their quality bar tools line. They have a complete set of tools, which all seem to be of great quality. They have only gotten 5-star reviews so far: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LVY7VMH. It's $63 for the complete set.

Or you can just buy their boston shaker for $20, and this excellent strainer from OxO ($7), along with this measuring cup ($5)

Then you have a pretty good starter set. A fine strainer can be bought in most dollar stores locally for next to nothing, or you can find one on amazon. They are pretty much all the same, but it isn't really required if you're just starting out. I also have a bar spoon, a mixing glass and a muddler, but to be honest, I rarely use them. If you need to muddle something, use a wooden spoon or something. If you decide you really need one, look for one which is at least 6 inches long, to avoid bashing your knuckles on the edges of the shaker, or google "morgenthaler homemade muddler".

Hope your GF will be happy with your gift!


EDIT: Missed the part about you being from UK. Here's an updated list. I'll let the other one be for any americans who might wander through here.

• Shaker: Homekeros sems to have a good one. (£16, £19 with a strainer) The strainer looks fine.
  
• Shaker (alternative): If budget is a concern, then the Mezclar Tin on Tin Boston Shaker (£6) looks fine. One reviewer said, however, that the small tin was so tiny, it almost dropped to the bottom before making a seal. The other 9 reviews are happy with it though. Still, It's an amazing price!
  
• Strainer: The OXO strainer (£5.43 + £3.19 S+H)
  
• Measuring Cup: OXO angles measuring cup (£4.25)
  
• Citrus juicer: I kind of forgot about it in the main post, but this is a tool that get used every time I use the shaker and sometimes also just for cooking. Very useful. I recommend the Chef'n freshforce citrus juicer (£22.32)
  
  Seeing as there is a shipping charge, I probably wouldn't go for the OXO Strainer unless there's something else that you need from the american amazon. The one from the Homekeros set should be adequate.

Depends,
if your friend has some of this stuff i wouldn't gift a set but individual parts. If your friend has nothing of this its a good start. I started with a similar set.
I don't like the labels on the glas. Doesn't look clean. But it may be helps.
If your friend has some of the stuff go for one quality addition instead of a whole set. For example:

• Friend does have a shaker and a jigger -> Go for a nice quality matt and a nice muddler
  
• Friend has some of this stuff -> go for one quality item like a really cool shaker or jigger (Cool shaker) (cool jigger) (handy jigger) to replace his old standard (set) item
  
• If you dont know what equipment your buddy has go for a book. subreddit sidebar book for beginners. I would pick The Bar Book or Mr. Boston: Official Bartender's Guide ( not on the subreddit list)
  
  Hope this helps

Well some gifts I got this year were decent individually, but combined it was pretty cool. I got a Whiskey gift box from one person, and another person gave me a set of [sipping stones.] (http://www.amazon.com/Sipping-Stones-Whisky-Chilling-Carrying/dp/B005D78RPU/ref=sr_1_4?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1451176159&sr=1-4&keywords=sipping+stones)

Best I got was a giant gift basket with SOOOOO much home made treats, and candies and mason jar creations of a snowman filled with hot chocolate fixings, and hand made spreads and it was all so yummy and filling! I'm so round now...

Did you enjoy your gifts?

• Rye - Bulliet
  
• Vodka - Stoli or Titos
  
• Gin - Junipero
  
• Tequila - Espalon
  
• <$20 red wine - Coppola Claret / Louis Martini cab / fuck, even j lhor.
  
• beer - no ciders. IPA's are a safe bet along with some good local brews
  
  Sorry not sorry for last night's drunken break down but you really need to step your alcohol game up. People judge on that shit. All the bottles I listed are under $25 at my local liquor store. And do more than just mixers Get yourself a cocktail shaker, a jigger and a mudler and learn to make some drinks. It's really not that hard and people will be impressed as fuck. Want to take it a step further? Get one of these bad fuckers and some nice glassware. bar glassware shouldn't be optional and you can pick up some nice stemware for cheap. Go get some big ice cub silicon molds and fill with filtered water. Use those in place of ice cubes. It's all about perception. If a girl were to come over and you made her a nice drink with a beautiful presentation, she'd be blown away vs the banal rum and coke. One I like;
  
  
• muddle basil and 2 pcs of cucumber with a pinch of kosher salt
  
• 1.5 oz silver tequila
  
• 1 oz simple syrup (sugar water
  
• .5 oz lime juice.
  
  Give that a good shake and strain over a cube/burg. Garnish with cucumber wheel and basil sprig. I cook a lot so I have both ingredients on hand frequently.
  
  Alcohol should have expression. Don't buy shit to pander to people, buy what you like. If you really really like new amsterdam and jose cuervo then fine do you but spend a few extra $$ and show that you really care. For the record, cuervo gold is just cuervo silver with additives.
  
  

I've always been rather partial towards Balvenie Doublewood. Its rather mellow but the double casking gives it rich woodsy notes. You absolutely CANNOT go wrong with this Scotch:
http://www.thebalvenie.com/en-us/ourRange_currentRange.php

Edit: another great gift idea, since he apparently already has a collection, would be whisky stones and/or proper glassware. This way, you avoid the possibility and stress of trying to find one that he likes, while still showing him that you know his passions and interests and giving him a bit of a surprise as well.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002GZX2DE

http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/ba37/

http://m.wineenthusiast.com/newui/advsearch.aspx?slr_qt=model&redirect=yes&slr_q=glencairn%20whisky%20glasses

I nominate my mum because she is the strongest and most loving mother <3 She has been through two terrible marriages both with my half siblings dad and my father and still never made her love for us change or disappear...absolute unconditional love. She is the most selfless person I have ever met and will bend over backwards, forwards, to the side, and inside out for her children despite ANYTHING. I really wish I will be a mother like her, if I ever decide to have children. She's the person I admire most and love her with all my being <3

Oh, did I mention she is also really awesome?! She is taking bartender classes at her workplace after work, so she would very much love this bar set or this mp3 player for her unique and ridiculously fun music taste :)

I only recommend Cocktail Kingdom or Barfly tools to pros who use them hard and can justify spending the money. I have stainless tools, of lesser quality, that I've used hard for 30 years. They still work as good as they did when new. I suppose a good analogy is automobiles. You can buy yourself a Toyota. It's affordable, reliable and does pretty much everything most of us ask of it. You can also get yourself a new BMW or Benz. Are the German cars nicer? Sure! But you pay for the luxury. The only things "Cocktail Kingdom" that I own are weighted tins that I purchased soon after they were released (many years ago). But I was Manhattan based and Cocktail Kingdom was the only brick and mortar store that actually carried weighted tins. Today, we have more options.

I know at least 6 pros who are very happy with this set @ <$40. You get the weighted tins, which is the biggest change in modern bartending. You also get a lifetime guarantee and Prime shipping. If you want one, you'll need to add a heavy-bottomed mixing glass for stirred cocktails, a Y-peeler and perhaps an OXO jigger and microplane. I suggest you save yourself some cash and put it towards ingredients. Otherwise, Barfly sells a decent kit for $171 that you'll still have to add to. Cocktail Kingdom is even more expensive.

TL/DR: The fancy tools aren't necessary at all. If you want the Cadillac of bar gear, however, go for it.

No need to get those ridiculous (and sometimes expensive) martini shakers. Get a basic mixing set of a large shaker, small shaker, bar spoon, strainer, and jigger (here's a good one from amazon: https://www.amazon.com/2dayShip-Stainless-Professional-Cocktail-Corkscrew/dp/B00VCBL8GQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1457808252&sr=8-3&keywords=bar+mixing+set) and learn to use it. It's basic and inexpensive but it's far better, faster, and easier to clean than fancy crap.

As for bottles, I always make sure I have grenadine, bitters, vermouth, and triple sec. (yup, I would group this in as being equipment, lol). These are extremely common mixers and incredibly inexpensive, so it makes no sense to not have them. If you want, I would even add two more also cheap mixers: amaretto and blackberry brandy.

Try to have fruit (obviously) likes oranges, cherries, and limes, but since one doesn't always have these things fresh at hand, at least keep a small bottle of lime juice and/or lemon juice too.

Base liquors are where I would really spend the money for quality. Always get the cheapest non-brand name mixers, liquors, glasses, and accessories you can. People are impressed by your base liquors.

Shoot, you're only in college and already drinking some damn respectable stuff. I'm a big fan of Double Black. It tastes like you're drinking a camp fire, and that's exactly why I love it. Looks live you've got an iceball in there, those are pretty neat, but might I suggest these?

Oh yeah, nice setup. That monitor is sweet. But mostly good choice in scotch ;)

-Brie Baker with all the ingredients to get started (Brie cheese, fruit, nuts, honey)

-Butter Bell with a loaf of locally made bread

-Mariposa Napkin Box with Weights and Cocktail Napkins

-Cocktail Shaker Set with Bitters, Stirrers, and a nice bottle of liquor

-Cool coffee table book (esp. if it matches a gift set mentioned above (The Art of Mixology or Magnolia Table) or it's hostess-themed, such as Kate Spade's All In Good Taste or Emily Post's Manners for Today)

-Guest Book for house/bathroom/guest room (and this is always fun because you can be the first one to sign it and everyone at the housewarming party can sign it/write a message). Look around Etsy for these...I'm not crazy about the ones on Amazon.

Hope this helps! Happy housewarming to your friend!

What about a set of whiskey stones, since you enjoy scotch and whiskey. They're useful, don't take up much space, and will definitely help maximize the experience. And while there's only one copy of this game, it looks pretty cool, and suited to a lot of your interests! And while you probably don't need these pint glasses, why the heck not?

Happy belated birthday! And thanks for the contest.

Whiskey Rocks or Whiskey ice spheres

You could make him a running pack (gels, new good running socks, partial certificate for running shoes, reflective running strip if he runs at night after work), buy him an entrance ticket for a supportive soldier's race in his area, sign up to do a run with him then spend time training with him.

If he's really really in love with that dog sign him up for a BarkBox and he'll love watching his dog enjoy treats and toys?

I use Top Shelf Barware exclusively. There's tons of other good stuff out there, but there's not a single piece of Top Shelf stuff that I think is poorly made, so it's an easy go-to.

I think the four-piece or fourteen-piece kit are great gifts: https://www.amazon.com/Premium-Bar-Set-Professional-Bartenders/dp/B077SSP7T3?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1&psc=1

I can't reccomend you a drink because I'm pretty new to Whiskey myself.

I used to sometimes get headaches when I would drink too, especially whiskey. I find cooling the alcohol helps a lot, but I also don't want to water the drink down.

I found these whiskey stones that you freeze like ice and use to chill your drink without diluting it. They make a significant difference because it helps alleviate some of the burn in your throat and stomach that, for me at least, would contribute to being physically uncomfortable and getting headaches. They do help a lot and if you're interested they're only about $9.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B014Q2R6GS/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1505418889&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=whiskey+stones&dpPl=1&dpID=41FSlVw9tML&ref=plSrch

I got this as a gift and really like it. Easy to store and keep everything in 1 place so you never have to look for anything.

Edit: there is a wall mounted version that comes with a rope to hang it thats 5 bucks cheaper if that fits the look you are going for better. Here is a nice set thats only $20 after I looked on amazon a little.

Sure, let's talk!

If you're learning how to use a bar spoon, it's easier, IMO, to start out with the thicker bodied ones, since they provide a little more heft and therefore control. The drawback to them is that they don't maneuver in the glass quite as easily, and they're ultimately a little slower. Once you're pretty comfortable with your technique, I much prefer the thinner kind. Not only do that have a sexier look to them, I find I can control the movement of the spoon a lot more precisely.

I purchased these whiskey stones a few months ago. I've actually been pretty happy with them.

Here's the thing: I prefer my bourbon a little chilled, but not cold. I think that ice-cold whiskey masks all the subtleties of the flavor, but slightly chilled, it really brings something out. Now, all my bourbons are room temperature, and I don't like ice, because I don't want the taste watered down... so the stones are a nice solution.

Everyone is correct here that stone is a bad conductor of heat, but that's sort of the point. I drop three stones into my glass, give it 30 seconds or so, and my bourbon is just slightly chilled down. Perfect.

Also, the soapstone frankly looks pretty badass, IMHO.

I can give you an answer you don't want to hear right away, but it'll be better if we look at the math.

---

Assuming the rod is square in cross section, that's an area of A = (0.5 in)^2 = 1.613 cm^(2), and length L = 4 in = 10.16 cm.

The volume of the rod is V = L × A = 16.39 cm^(3). Density of aluminum is 2.7 g/cm^(3), so that's a total mass of M = 44 g.

The specific heat capacity of aluminum is 0.904 J/g K, which gives a heat capacity of C1 = M c = 39.8 J/K.

---

Now, a typical mug has 350 ml, and 1 ml = 1 cm^3 (thank god for metric). You can't fill the entire mug with coffee because when you dip in the rod it'll occupy volume and overflow. So let's say you put 300 ml of coffee in the mug.

Coffee is mostly water, which has specific heat capacity 4.18 J/g K and density 1 g/ml (thank god for metric^(2)), so the heat capacity of it is C2 = 300 g × 4.18 J/g K = 1254 J/K.

---

The freezer would be at freezing point of water, or T1 = 273 K.

Now, it looks like hot coffee is usually anywhere between 70 ºC to 80 ºC. Let's go with T2 = 75 °C = 348 K.

---

When you put the two together, they'll exchange heat until equilibrium at some temperature T. Assuming no heat is lost to the environment, conservation of energy says the changes in internal energy are equal and opposite in sign, so:

>ΔQ1 + ΔQ2 = 0

With ΔQ = C (T_final - T_initial) (so increasing temperature has ΔQ positive), we can write:

>C1 (T - T1) + C2 (T - T2) = 0

Solving for T, we get:

>T = (C1 T1 + C2 T2) / (C1 + C2)

Plugging in the numbers we have, we find T = 72.7 °C.

---

So this whole effort barely got you down more than 2 degrees! Not very helpful at all!

The bottom line is this: the heat capacity of water is pretty goddamn big compared to most substances, about 4.6 times that of aluminum, and there's 6.8 times more water than aluminum in your mug, so the discrepancy is even worse.

This is why you can figure out it's not going to work from the get go. Water is weird.

One thing you could do instead is find a hollow metal container, one side open, put water in it and then freeze it. Then you dip that in your mug. That way you get the benefit of heat conduction of metal, large heat capacity of water, but you don't get watery coffee. But it's not as cool.

You can also get some whiskey stones. They won't be as good as water, but probably better than aluminum.

If he likes cooking, you could possibly gt him some sort of themed gift around bbq to bring him back to Tex.

Spice Rubs for meat that come from Tex... (https://www.etsy.com/listing/167344642/gustos-rubs-of-the-states-barbecue-rub) -- they sell these everywhere, like in williams sonoma as well.

A 6-pack of his favorite beer (or liquor)

If he likes whiskey... http://www.amazon.com/Teraforma-1220-Whisky-Stones/dp/B002GZX2DE

Stainless steel works, but soapstone better. At least for drinks. Ice is definitely the best at making things cold.

Since the smoke is in the chamber for such a short time I would still use ice. Alternatives such as stainless steel and sandstone soapstone work best when sitting in the drink for awhile and the main advantage is to not have watered down alcohol.

unprompted advice here, but if you plan to pursue the hobby (and change straps with any frequency) it helps to have them on hand, since they have a tendency to go flying and get lost, or break.

Pick up a set of cheap ones on amazon, or spend a few bucks extra for the best quality from Otto Frei

I'd suggest buying a kit like: http://amzn.com/B0045WE4HY . It gives you way way more than you need (including a bunch of other sizes you only may potentially use on other watches), but you get that along with 20 pins that will fit your pebble for about the same price as a single pair of pins elsewhere online.

I've run into this problem a handful of times, banging my watch against a door frame or tennis racket (thank goodness for a NATO-esque band that can hold with only one pin). It's sometimes impossible to find the pin too even if you know when it came out, since they are spring loaded and can launch themselves into the grass or behind a desk.

Anyway the kit has worked well for me, though I know I'll never use the whole thing.

This is what I have. You can make just about any basic drink with this and the right glasses.

For alcohol this takes a while to build up, but in the beginning buy a handle of your favorite version of

• Dark Rum
  
  
• Light Rum
  
  
• Vodka
  
  
• Irish or Rye Whiskey
  
  
• Bourbon or Scotch Whiskey
  
• Gin
  
  
• Tequila
  
  
• Vermouth
  
  
• Curacao (Cointreau)
  
  And then mixers
  
  
• Club Soda / Seltzer / Tonic water
  
  
• Coke & Gingerale
  
  
• Cranberry Juice & Orange Juice
  
  
• Bitters (ok technically not a mixer but you know)
  
  Glasses you'll want
  
  
• Red and white wine glasses
  
  
• Highball and rocks glasses
  
  
• Pint glasses & beer mugs
  
  
• Martini glasses
  
  
  All in all you can get all this for under $1000, but not much under, so take your time building this up. Start with what you know and like, and expand from there.

Normally I would never recommend these let alone chilling your whisky, but I can make an exception. Whisky stones are probably the best way to chill if you have to. Historically, when people wanted to chill their whisky they would go to the river and pick up a stone out of the water so there is even more history for you. Be forewarned that if you chill whisky you will lose some of the flavors present in scotch, so if you are studying tasting notes and don't understand why you don't get a specific flavor that is why.

As for bottle suggestions I don't know exactly what to recommend since you have no taste history to go off of besides MacGregor. Because of this I am going to say if you like bold tastes go with a Laphroaig 10. The smokey-brine in this whisky is fan-fucking-tastic. As RustyPipes put it 'If you want a Koala bear to crap a rainbow in your brain'. If you like sweeter more complex flavors go with Bruichladdich Rocks.

Edit: I originally sounded like an enormous prick so I changed that.

This actually looks pretty sweet and useful.

I'm not sure if chips is a good idea or not... Ideally you'd use something like this which reproduces the flavor of a burnt barrel and has a high surface area to allow for the most flavor to be extracted. https://www.amazon.com/Time-Oak-Signature-Whiskey-Elements/dp/B0765BGPS1

I think that ice not only dilutes as it melts, but dulls the character and nose of whisky by dropping the temperature too drastically. You miss out on a lot of the complexity. If you want to chill your whisky (though not as harshly as with ice) without risking dilution, pick up a set of whisky stones. I have that set from Teraforma, myself, and I think they are awesome. When I use them, I add water to taste, then take the stones out of the fridge and use them to cool the whisky just a bit, if needed.

That might be a whisky stone shaped like a bullet. It doesn’t look like the cap is separate from the rest of the shell. Is it pretty heavy?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0747Y5JZ2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_FAA1BbVVBPG13

1. V8 is not tomato juice, it's vegetable juice. Plain old tomato juice is preferable. Or even Clamato for Bloody Caesars.
   
   
2. You could add a piece of horseradish and a small microplane, and maybe a little bottle of Worcestershire sauce.
   
   
3. Some lemons would be nice too, and some kosher or celery salt to rim the glass. Oh! Or some super-easy preserved lemons.
   
   
4. Skip the Siracha. Besides being clichéd, it's also very garlicky, and while garlic is delicious, it overpowers other subtler flavors in a delicious Bloody Mary.
   
   
5. Might be tricky to stay under $20, but some highball glasses, a simple glass pitcher and a bar spoon would also be good additions.

You may want to consider investing in some whiskey stones like these. I still like a little bit of water, but I'm coming around to the idea that maybe a melting ice cube isn't the best.

My house is decently cool thanks to A/C, but I still use a small dash of cold water about half the time I pour a glass.

Yup. That'd work perfectly.


Or, alternatively, something like this in a bottle.


https://www.amazon.com/Time-Oak-Signature-Whiskey-Elements/dp/B0765BGPS1

I am assuming this set is good for what I am looking for? 2 piece shaker, strainer, and a few other items. Decent price, free shipping with prime, and solid rating and reviews.

[13 piece bartender set] (http://www.amazon.com/2dayShip-Stainless-Professional-Cocktail-Corkscrew/dp/B00VCBL8GQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1458509260&sr=8-2&keywords=2+piece+cocktail+shaker)

a little help for a fellow drinker. To stop all the kiddies wanting to call you a pussy and what not for watering down what you like to drink....whiskey stones...its called whiskey stones, friends.
http://www.amazon.com/Teroforma-1220-Whisky-Stones/dp/B002GZX2DE

Unless you are looking to look fancy don't waste your money. Just go to amazon/walmart and find a shaker tin, all-in-one "jigger", and a pint glass from your local cabinet. That is really all you need to get started.

If you want to add on some stuff just to make life easier you can get a bar spoon, muddler, strainer, fine strainer (get rid of those ugly ice bits), and a citrus juicer.

Save your money for alcohol to make more drinks!

$60 seems really pricy. Just a quick search on amazon brought me up a 13 piece set for $12^1 and then toss in a muddler (if your doing a fruited old fashioned) for $13.^2 Take the money you save and spend it on booze!

^1 (http://www.amazon.com/13-Piece-Professional-Bar-Set/dp/B004LD54OO/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1394728318&sr=8-16&keywords=boston+shaker)

^2 http://www.amazon.com/OXO-3104900-SteeL-Muddler/dp/B003AIKP0O/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1394728467&sr=1-1&keywords=oxo+muddler

Coffee related!
French press

To Go French Press

Whisky Stones

Star Wars Footie PJs

Ummm yes hahah those all seem awesome <3

Buy the Hex Ice Cube Tray because hexagons are awesome! And it's hot, and ice is cold.

I dunno if you're at all familiar with whiskey stones but they're essentially small cubes of soap stone you put in the freezer and then use them to chill your whiskey without it getting watered down. The soap stone carver who came up with that must wake up laughing.

If you're primarily a whiskey drinker, get a stirring glass. The cheaper ones still look pretty classy and you only need swizzle stick and a strainer to make the majority of whiskey sippers (old fashioned, manhattan, boulevardier, etc..)

I frequently freeze orange slices to throw in any wheat beers. Works great.

Also whisky stones.

I think we can all agree that there's variety in quality of spring bar, though. I've bought one of those "360 spring bars for $7.50" sets before and had half of them come apart during installation.

But yeah, it's a little over the top in terms of marketing.

Using these instead of ice is way better. just put them in the freezer and they're good to go. no more ice melting in your scotch!

Do you happen to have a brand for those? This would be the perfect gift for a friend of mine.

I see these at Amazon but not sure if they're the same thing.


I found them

check some of these whisky accessories out:

whisky stones

Balls of Steel

I've has both and the whisky stones are meh because they don't stay chilled as long as the balls.

They both look cool in your drink.


OR get him a framed picture of Ron Swanson lol

I have no idea if these work but they may interest you.

For bruising/muddling stuff, get a real muddler. It is fast and easy to clean, as well as being designed just for it. I use mine fairly often for little things that I don't want any clean up to worry about.

Whiskey stones are even a real thing (and work pretty well).

https://smile.amazon.com/Beverage-Chilling-Stones-Whiskey-Beverages/dp/B014Q2R6GS/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1499446205&sr=8-4&keywords=sipping+stones :)

If you want to cool your scotch without ice, try whiskey stones.

Chills without freezing, and add water to dilute to your preference.

I've never tried this with coffee, so they may not be enough to fully chill the drink, but you could try whiskey stones. Or if that's not enough by itself, combine it with some ice as well.

Or you could just get real whiskey rocks

edit: wow, I had no idea whiskey rocks were so terrible (I've never used them)

Oh, so that your whiskey doesn't get watered down. cool! My dad got something similar last year. He uses them all the time.

We have a set of these. I recommend them.

Whiskey Stones

You put them in the freezer, and then when ready to have a drink - place them in your glass, pour your liquor, and you get a chilled drink without dilution.

I like this brand a lot https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077SSP7T3/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_RmjUCbS5SBF9P

Something like this is pretty basic and useful

Or get whiskey stones if you don't want to dilute your drink at all. Understandably some people do like a bit of dilution though, so it's a matter of preference.

I'm going to suggest an entirely different direction. Now hear me out. You say you like big ice cubes, because they don't melt and dilute your drink quickly. You are concerned about the hassle of freezing water, accumulating the cubes, etc...

Here is my suggestion: whiskey stones!

I also learned about these things called Whiskey Stones. They are little stone cubes that you chill and pop in your whiskey to cool it off without watering it down.

http://www.amazon.com/Teroforma-1220-Whisky-Stones/dp/B002GZX2DE

Stainless steel "ice cubes." Also called whiskey stones. They cool down your drink without melting and diluting it.

Well ... https://www.amazon.com/Beverage-Chilling-Stones-Whiskey-Beverages/dp/B014Q2R6GS/

Should have sent him some whiskey rocks.http://www.amazon.com/Teroforma-1220-Whisky-Stones/dp/B002GZX2DE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335315036&sr=8-1
I use them and my god are they genius.

http://www.amazon.com/Sipping-Stones-Chilling-Carrying-Soapstone/dp/B005D78RPU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1334962206&sr=8-2


There are a ton of different kinds, those are just the first ones that popped up on amazon.

I got mine on Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0045WE4HY/

Depends on my mood, sometimes I want my scotch iced. Especially if its hot and humid outside. Although I think I will be investing in these:

http://www.amazon.com/Teraforma-1220-Whisky-Stones/dp/B002GZX2DE

they make whiskey stones which are cubes you put in the freezer and then to your drink.

What if he used these rocks?

Or, might I suggest, whiskey stones.

Whiskey stones are less than $10. You really just need something dense and non-dissolvable that transfers heat at a reasonable rate.

Jameson with these. Alcoholism.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002GZX2DE/?tag=047-20

like this?

For alcohols get these

Two sites with whiskey stones

http://www.amazon.com/Teraforma-1220-Whisky-Stones/dp/B002GZX2DE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1311318028&sr=8-1

http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/kitchen/ba37/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006078D4W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_h1bNxbWM5XZ2A

They could have been talking about these.

Chill some rocks?

Whisky stones son.

Well, then...

I actually use rocks in my whiskey...

Use these, turst me I'ma alcoholic

http://www.amazon.com/Teroforma-1220-Whisky-Stones/dp/B002GZX2DE

This

Whiskey Stones.

http://www.amazon.com/Teroforma-1220-Whisky-Stones/dp/B002GZX2DE

when i went to buffalo trace distillery, they had these for sale

http://www.amazon.com/Teroforma-1220-Whisky-Stones/dp/B002GZX2DE

Behold, whisky stones!

Do you own any whiskey stones yet?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002GZX2DE

They are 22mm. You can get them from [Amazon] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0045WE4HY?cache=ca1b3e53d018d8d87f688209d46cef9a&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&qid=1411326707&sr=8-4#ref=mp_s_a_1_4), this seemed to be the most bang for my buck.

That's what I was going to suggest! I'd go with these.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002GZX2DE

http://amzn.com/w/1FFRDTIUIRJB8 For a trip to Washington DC

$5

$10 (Used is under $10)

Another alternative is to use whisky rocks instead of ice if you don't want to deal with dilution.

If you have other scotch available, but don't want to water it down with ice, why not try whisky stones: http://www.amazon.com/Sipping-Stones-Chilling-Carrying-Soapstone/dp/B005D78RPU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395598585&sr=8-1&keywords=whisky+stones

Never seen a hardware store that sells them, although most department stores or places with a jewelry section will have at least a basic spring bar set, many places won't even charge for them.

That said, you could just get your own assortment and never need to buy more. Something like that will be fine, but do take note these are low quality, but probably about the same as the ones on a Timex anyway.

Get one of these! Solves your rocks glass mixing and having to carefully pour problem: Cocktail Mixing Glass 500ml

if you're concerned about chilling it without extra dilution, look into some whisky stones, which are essentially insulating rocks that can keep cold for awhile. drop them into a glass with your whisky and get 0 dilution and chilled drink!

http://www.amazon.com/Teroforma-1220-Whisky-Stones/dp/B002GZX2DE

It is a real thing. It chills the whiskey without adding water. The person who ordered that most likely did now know about this and the restaurant likely did not have them. If they brought a glass filled with rocks and whiskey, I doubt you'd post this.

bitch please, I just polished off a half fifth of scotch... on the rocks! and unlike Eddie Valiant, I don't mean [ice](
https://www.amazon.com/Teroforma-CLASSIC-Whisky-Stones-Handcrafted/dp/B002GZX2DE)

There's a set of 9 on Amazon for $12.

I know what you're going for, but given the fact that bourbon will already run you $25+ a bottle, I don't think it's too ridiculous to spend $12 on some stones that you will use for much longer than the bourbon. :p

Well, sounding like an alcoholic, why not get something that enhances that. To whit: whisky stones - about $20 but that's Cdn dollars so cheaper in US.

Failing that there you could always go for some sort of glass/drinking vessel type thing.

The ratio of chilling to watering down is constant regardless of the shape of the ice. If you want to minimize the watering down, buy one of these.

/u/larspawn is right, a sphere is mathematically the worst possible shape for an ice-cube.

Much better! Alluding to reviews certainly lends credence to your position, but failing to link to at least one of those reviews still causes a lose of credibility. I upvoted you for trying again though. About 60 reviews at Amazon say that they are basically ineffective, but none mention rock dust.