Whisky Stones Gift Set

I've been a whisky drinker for any number of years now. I did experiment with different mixers when I was younger, including water and soda - but, in the end, I prefer to drink my whisky neat.

Other people will add a variety of different mixers - and that's great. It's a matter of personal taste at the end of the day. Personally speaking, I wouldn't add anything, with the possible exception of a very small amount of water, to an expensive single malt whisky. Once you add a mixer, you're as well going for a cheaper, blended whisky.

One thing that I have never really liked to add to my favorite tipple is ice. The trouble is that it cools the whisky down too much - and that impairs the release of both flavor and aroma. The other problem is that ice melts fairly quickly when added to spirits. That dilutes the whisky and further reduces the strength of the flavors.

Notwithstanding the above, I can see how some people might wish to have a chilled drink - on a hot day maybe. In such a case, you might want to have a look at soapstone whisky stones - variously known as "chilling rocks", "whisky stones", "chilling stones" etc.

These allow you to chill your drink slightly, though less than if you smothered it with ice, without the problem of dilution as the ice melts.

Whisky stones are made of soapstone. This is a non-porous rock, so the stones will not absorb any liquid or flavors from whatever liquid you choose to place them in.

Soapstone is also a soft rock. That's important because it means that you won't scratch or mark your glassware in any way.

All that you need to do is place the chilling stones in the freezer for 4 hours or so and then put them in your glass of whisky - just like you would with ice cubes. Generally speaking, 3 stones should chill your drink enough.

Whisky stones will not chill your drink as much as ice cubes - but that's not a bad thing if you're a whisky lover anyway.

Once your done, just hand rinse the whisky stones and let them dry naturally. Remeber, they're non-porous, so you're just cleaning the surface. That means that they dry fairly quickly.

Most whisky stones come in sets of 9, although larger sets are available. They generally include a small muslin bag, which is handy to keep them together, whether they're in storage or actually chilling in the freezer.

They make a very nice gift for any whisky lover - and you can get them in special gift packs where they are matched up with a couple of nice whisky glasses.

Most whisky stones are cube shaped - it seems logical somehow. However, when you think about it, there's no particular reason for them to be a cube - and, if you prefer, you can choose whisky disks.

Soapstone is the most commonly used material. As mentioned earlier, it has the advantage of being non-porous and softer than glass (so it won't scratch or mark). However, other rock types can also be used. Granite (see image right) is also quite popular and the different patterns in the rock can be rather attractive.

All things considered, whisky stones are a great gift for the whisky lover in your life!