Man asks internet for $1k for pebbles. INTERNET SAYS YES

Fancy paying someone to start up yet another pebbles-in-your-whisky firm? Well then step this way, because El Reg has discovered a new "disruptive" lifestyle brand which will charge you the earth to put a rock in your grog. A company called Boozestones' eponymous product aims to persuade drinkers to do away with frozen water …

[John Tserkezis]

"the invention will cut down on "the wastage of water used to cool people's drinks"

Wastage water... This has to be for real, because you just couldn't possibly make it up.

[JeffyPoooh]

"...wastage of water..."

Last I heard about water, it literally does "fall from the sky like rain".

PS: Concerned about wasting paper? It "grows on trees".

[werdsmith]

If you need to chill your whisk(e)y to enjoy it then it's either very bad whisk(e)y or you don't actually like whisk(e)y.

[king of foo]

My ancestors are laughing at this insanity. Must be the work of sassenachs. Putting stones in your drink? Whatever next? Worms? Ha.

Wait, wut?

[Smallbrainfield]

Very true.

The only reason you might want to add ice cubes is to add water to the drink. Some people consider this the best way to drink whisk(e)y as it improves the taste on the palate.

[I ain't Spartacus]

Re: Very true.

Smallbrainfield,

There's nothing wrong with adding water to whisky. That's a sensible thing to do. Some taste nicer with a drop of water. I can't remember trying a single whisky both ways, where even just a splash of water doesn't make a noticeable (to large) difference to the taste. Some I prefer with, others without.

The problem with ice is cold, not wet. Chilling whisky destroys most of the flavour. Or at least turns it off until you warm it up again.

So what they've done is to remove any possible good aspects of what ice can do to whisky, and kept only the bad effects. That's magic! The fact that he's asking for start-up funding to make something that's already been available for years, is just icing on the cake of pointlessness.

[kraut]

Re: Very true.

A little bit of soft, room temperature water does indeed help unlock the nose of a good whisky. Cooling drinks with ice, on the other hand, reduces what you can smell and taste. Hence ice should be reserved for drinks that are unpalatable unless chilled, such as Coke, or Bourbon.

[LucreLout]

If you need to chill your whisk(e)y to enjoy it then it's either very bad whisk(e)y or you don't actually like whisk(e)y.

Or its a proper cask strength and what you're doing with just one icecube is slowly watering it while drinking. Cask at 60 or 70% vol tastes very different to bottle strength at 40%. Both are pleasant, and while enjoying a cask strength single malt with the correct balance of icecubes, you get to enjoy the transitions between the two.

[CADmonkey]

Beyond a certain strength water is required to be added so that you get the full effect of the alcohol, otherwise it's too concentrated and some of it will miss your bloodstream entirely, which is a waste.

So---one cube of ice made of water. You hear that America? ONE! Not 20....

[Sorry that handle is already taken.]

CADmonkey

You have to be drinking pretty quickly for an icecube to make a difference to your alcohol absorption!

[Bad Beaver]

Huh? This is new?

What's the point? These things have been around forever – just search for whiskey stones.

[Robert Helpmann??]

Re: Huh? This is new?

...just search for whiskey stones.

Or watch Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

[Anonymous Coward]

Soap stone

For a cleaner taste.

[Afernie]

Re: Soap stone

Brimstone, for a fuller glass.

[NumptyScrub]

Re: Soap stone

Gall stones, for the unmitigated gall.

[Michael Wojcik]

Re: Soap stone

Gall stones, for the unmitigated gall.

Surely it's mitigated somewhat by the whiskey?

Seems to me that drinking spirits to try to mitigate one's gall is a longstanding, if generally not very effective, tradition.

[Mark 85]

Re: Soap stone

What... no kidney stones? For proper flushing of any contaminants from the whiskey such as water.

[Amorous Cowherder]

Water wastage? FFS!

You've still got to cool them down in a freezer, same as ice.

What about cleaning?! You've got to wash these after every use! At least with ice cubes you simply drink them and they're recycled by the user. I certainly don't want your whisky/spittle covered stones in my drink without a wash first thanks! Oh and lots of dishwasher detergent too!

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Water wastage? FFS!

No, you're wrong it's better for the world!

We'll just gloss over the blasting of rock, the huge amount of fuel and energy required to transport and process the rock, the huge amounts of water used to keep the cutting blades cool and then the amount of fuel used to transport these to the shops, then the energy that would be used to chill the water is still used to chill the rocks.

No they ARE better, honest.

[Michael Wojcik]

Re: Water wastage? FFS!

We'll just gloss over the blasting of rock, the huge amount of fuel and energy required to transport and process the rock, the huge amounts of water used to keep the cutting blades cool

Well, this is soapstone, which you can cut with a butter knife. When I did the soapstone counters for my kitchen, I cut it with a fibre blade on my table saw. And it can easily be polished by hand with a bit of sandpaper. No water required, strictly speaking.

Not that I think this company is planning on doing anything in a terribly efficient manner. (Though, if this idea took off, I suppose I could start selling hand-cut artisanal soapstone whiskey blocks. Don't let lousy mass-produced rocks ruin the taste of your beverage! Each of mine is lovingly crafted with your intoxication in mind. Wash before using.)

[Ken 16]

Re: Water wastage? FFS!

perhaps if they were sterilised in alcohol?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Water wastage? FFS!

Or maybe autoclaved before cooling...

[Shannon Jacobs]

Charity as a stupid lottery?

I know that some donors want to be anonymous, but it isn't supposed to be because you donated to something really stupid.

So does anyone know of a better alternative? Rather than getting a cut off of lottery winners with no pretense of a concern as to whether anything was accomplished, I'm looking for something like Kickstarter/IndieGoGo, but where they actually EARN their cut by providing project management support. Here are some of the questions that should be addressed in a project that I'd be motivated to support (and even want to see my name associated with as one of the donors):

(1) What are the required resources, including personal commitments?

(2) What is the schedule?

(3) What are the itemized costs? Including fair payment to the workers, I hope.

(4) Is there any testing required?

(5) What is the total budget?

(6) Is this project part of a larger project? Foundational or additional?

(7) What does success look like?

To my way of thinking, the success criteria of (7) are the most important. It would be nice to look over my donations and see how many projects I'd supported that actually accomplished what they promised. Then I'd have a basis to donate some more money. Not that I'm rich, but I think even small donors should be treated with more respect than they get these days.

[Spleen]

Re: Charity as a stupid lottery?

Better alternative: If you're rich, join an angel investment network. If you're not rich, stop wasting your time.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Charity as a stupid lottery?

You could donate talent rather than money.

https://assembly.com/

[ChrisBedford]

Re: Charity as a stupid lottery?

What you have described is a basic business plan. Anyone asking for donations / investment in his/her endeavour should be publishing one. If there isn't one available, STEER CLEAR because the entrepreneur in quesiton doesn't know what s/he is doing.

[John Latham]

Thermodynamics fail

Ice works because it changes phase. Rocks don't.

A cleverer idea would be 92% filling the inside of a hollow metal (e.g. silver) sphere with water and leaving the rest as vacuum to deal with the expansion. Then you'd have high conductivity, phase change and no dilution. Maybe use an internal matrix structure to help conductivity and add strength, allowing the walls to be thinner.

It's so obvious that I assume someone's done it already and probably patented it.

['s water music]

Re: Thermodynamics fail

A cleverer idea would be 92% filling the inside of a hollow metal (e.g. silver) sphere with water and leaving the rest as vacuum to deal with the expansion. Then you'd have high conductivity, phase change and no dilution. Maybe use an internal matrix structure to help conductivity and add strength, allowing the walls to be thinner.

It's so obvious that I assume someone's done it already and probably patented it.

The dangers of over thinking. I mean, I know that yours are better engineered and more effective

[spider from mars]

Re: Thermodynamics fail

As a back of the envelope calculation, a 2cm ice cube will take approx 3kJ to melt from a freezer temperature of -20C, once you include latent heat of fusion. The same size soapstone, although three times the mass, only takes ~500J to raise to 0C.

I'm fairly sure you can get ice cubes in flexible plastic that will cool drinks without diluting them, but that wouldn't be pretentious enough - which is the real point here. It's not about how you like your drink, it's about affectation.

[John Brown (no body)]

Re: Thermodynamics fail

"I'm fairly sure you can get ice cubes in flexible plastic that will cool drinks without diluting them"

Yes. Little plastic pink elephant ice "cubes" have been available since at least the mid-80's. Oh, how we still laugh every time we find one in our drink even after all these years.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Thermodynamics fail

Why not just keep your whisky in the freezer?

[Peter Simpson 1]

Re: Thermodynamics fail

Ice works because it changes phase. Rocks don't.

They do if you heat them hot enough :-)

[D@v3]

got some whisky stones for christmas lat year

they're crap

[Afernie]

Re: got some whisky stones for christmas lat year

Coprolites?

[Sorry that handle is already taken.]

Re: got some whisky stones for christmas lat year

I once got an IOU for whisky stones for christmas. It sits there unredeemed.

[goldcd]

erm just put your whisk(e)y

bottle in the freezer.

[VinceH]

Re: erm just put your whisk(e)y

Put a suitable amount in a shot glass, with (say) a spoon or something else that can serve as a suitable handle upright in it. Place in freezer. Wait. Retrieve from freezer.

If you're lucky, you might be able to remove the shot glass without breaking it - although I suspect it might need to be smashed. But whatever... hey presto. A whisk[e]y lollypop.

Note: Untested. It just seems like an interesting idea.

[batfink]

Re: erm just put your whisk(e)y

Nice idea, but alcohol has a pretty low freezing point, so your average domestic freezer isn't likely to hit it.

And I'm not putting any kind of stones in my nice whisky glasses, thank you very much.

[Michael Wojcik]

Re: erm just put your whisk(e)y

After taking the frozen water off the top, he ended up with really strong, cold whiskey

So he reinvented freeze distillation. Pretty commonly used to produce ice beers and wines, cold meads, applejack, etc.

(Wikipedia points out that freeze distillation concentrates "poisonous congeners" - i.e., fermentation products other than ethyl alcohol - rather than evaporating them as heat distillation does.)

[Anonymous Coward]

obligatory Dilbert

http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/1992-07-12/

[Haku]

A quick search revealed the availability of stainless steel ice cubes, which some people say are better than soapstone due to a higher thermal conductivity,

Personally I have no idea which is better, so this might have to be investigated first hand, with many 'experiments' :D

[frank ly]

That would be a series of experiments in which the measuring instrument is affected by each experiment. Not scientifically sound but good fun I'd say.

[Gavin King]

That would be a series of experiments in which the measuring instrument is affected by each experiment. Not scientifically sound but good fun I'd say.

Think bigger: each experiment affects the measuring instrument, but the instrument is reset over a period of hours/days. Therefore it is necessary to investigate in one order (stainless, soapstone, ice, ...), then rotate through the various permutations. Not a short-term experiment, but bound to be immensely satisfying.

By the time there's enough samples for statistical rigour, it would be a great deal of fun.

[spider from mars]

~3 times the thermal conductivity, but half the heat capacity.

[Pen-y-gors]

missing the point

whisky (and whiskey) usually benefits from a small amount of water - it helps the mouth appreciate the taste and smell (at room temperature), without blasting the tastebuds with 35% alcohol. And ice cubes? Never.

These people should stick to alcopops!

[Professor Clifton Shallot]

Re: missing the point

"whisky ... usually benefits from a small amount of water

I hear this a lot.

Can anyone explain what is actually going on?

If it benefits from a small amount of water why is it not just diluted more in the first place?

[JimmyPage]

Whisky and water

On a tour of the Glen Moray (shameless plug - you know where to send a crate :) ) distillery, we finished with a taster of the finished product. In actual fact three versions ... an 8 a 12 and a 16 year old dram.

The young - but spectacularly well informed guide - pointed out a little water jug which had some spring water they actually make the whisky from. At this point, one chap, who had been playing the connoisseur commented rather smugly "Glad you have some water for the ladies" (he was an arse). To which the guide, not-quite-as-apologetically-as-he-could-have-been pointed out that professional whisky tasters always put a splash of water into whisky to sample it. Apparently it releases some of the flavouring compounds, thus accenting the nose (smell), and allows the more complex compounds to dissolve, bringing out the more subtle edges of the taste.

So there is a reason.

[Twilight Turtle]

Re: Whisky and water

I did one of the every-region tasting sessions at the Whisky Experience in Edinburgh when on the second day of a stag. The first bottle we sampled was a barrel proof lowlands, can't remember what. At a little over 60% ABV and after a night's worth of fairly heavy drinking, I was very glad to hear our (also young but spectacularly well-informed) guide suggest diluting it 2:1 whisky:water, which made it really rather pleasant. I did try some neat but it was pretty much all alcohol burn and no real discernible flavour. Even as a relative Scotch novice the difference was massive.

Never seen the appeal in adding any cooling assistance to whisk(e)y. All it seems to do is remove the majority of the flavour.

[John Brown (no body)]

Re: Whisky and water

"All it seems to do is remove the majority of the flavour."

It's probably aimed at the same section of the market who like to chill their "beer" below the point where you can taste it.

(Sorry guys, just "Yank"-ing your chains)

[jcitron]

Re: Whisky and water

True if you drink Spudweiser, I mean Budweiser, Meisterbrau, or Miller Lite. :-)

[Velv]

Re: missing the point

@Professor Clifton Shallot

Mostly for legal and compliance reasons. Back in the good old days each bottle could contain, well, almost anything at almost any %abv. Then along came the Weights & Measures Act which established some conventions (and later amendments) such as spirits are generally sold in fixed sized bottles at a fixed %abv.

Scotch Whisky after distillation and storage typically leaves the cask between 50%abv and 65%abv (although it can be more or less depending on what went in and how it's stored). The vast majority is filtered, blended with other casks (even if from the same distillation) and watered down to 40% to make a consistent product.

The addition of water (even in the factory) releases the oils, esters and aromas, all of which may effect each drinkers palate in a different way, so each individual needs to "add water to suit their taste". Which is one reason you taste the whisky, maybe add a small amount of water, taste and repeat (although if you need to repeat too many times whisky is probably not your drink).

In an ideal world all whisky would be sold "Cask Condition" a la SMWS, but sadly the general public just want their consistent bottle of Famous Grouse or Johnnie Walker.

[Graham Dawson]

Re: missing the point

The reason they stuck at 40 is because the flavour of the drink falls away fairly rapidly if you dilute past that point.

[Professor Clifton Shallot]

Re: missing the point

"Apparently it releases some of the flavouring compounds, thus accenting the nose (smell), and allows the more complex compounds to dissolve, bringing out the more subtle edges of the taste."

Yes, but by what process? Any chemists care to comment?

"The reason they stuck at 40 is because the flavour of the drink falls away fairly rapidly if you dilute past that point."

So should we only be adding water to the whisky that has not already been diluted to this point?

And should we be adding water to our brandy, calvados, gin, and rum if they are above this strength?

[Sweep]

Re: missing the point

you may find this interesting:

http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/Issues/2008/December/AWhiskyTour.asp

[Professor Clifton Shallot]

Re: missing the point,@Sweep

you may find this interesting:

Yes, indeed. Thank you very much.

[Chemist]

Re: missing the point

"Yes, but by what process? Any chemists care to comment?"

Not my field but I'd venture several processes might be going on depending on the length of time mixed & temperature.

Hydrolysis of some of the esters - not too much I'd guess but it will introduce small amount of acids.

An effect on the palate/taste receptors. 40% alcohol is a pretty wild environment for living cells.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: 40%

No, the reason they "stuck" at 40 is because anything less than 40 can't be called whisky.

[Professor Clifton Shallot]

Re: 40%

"No, the reason they "stuck" at 40 is because anything less than 40 can't be called whisky."

That rather begs the question though.

If whisky was better more diluted then the legal minimum ABV would be lower - or at least there would be pressure from the industry for it to be so as who wouldn't want to sell more water and less expensive distillate, particularly if it tasted nicer to the customer?

[Graham Dawson]

Re: 40%

You've got it backwards. Whisky is legally defined as being no less than 40% ABV because the flavour of the spirit drops off significantly if you dilute it beyond that point.

[Professor Clifton Shallot]

Re: missing the point @Velv

'In an ideal world all whisky would be sold "Cask Condition"'

Cask strength do you mean?

It is mandatory for Scotch and Irish whisk(e)y to spend time in casks prior to bottling.

[captain veg]

totally arse about face

Whisky should be served at room termperature and mixed with a little water. So this idea is a cluster-fail.

-A.

[sabroni]

Re: Whisky should be served....

however the drinker likes it!! I don't like mine cold but I definitely don't want it watered down thanks.

[Crisp]

No Scotch on the Rocks joke?

Ok, I'm going...

[Frankee Llonnygog]

Ice cubes are the devil's testicles

And whisky stones are Beelzebub's bollocks

[Tromos]

Edible chillers

I don't personally care for whisky, but I did pick up an interesting way of cooling drinks on a Greek island some time ago. Frozen grapes. And you get to eat them when you've finished your drink.

[ScarabMonkey]

Nothing New

But these have been available for years! Even John Lewis stock them:

http://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-whisky-stones-set-of-8/p1405370?sku=233516325

[Cuddles]

Re: Nothing New

Indeed, I'm surprised it took this long for someone to point this out. Regardless of whether you think they're a terrible idea or not, starting a crowdfunding campaign for something that has been available in regular department stores for years seems rather stupid. Actually funding it even more so.

[hokum]

Any article about whisk(e)y

is inevitably going to have snobs in the comments declaring how others should enjoy their drink (though I do enjoy them revealing their ignorance along the way).

Have it however you damn well please. A small amount of water is perfectly normal (it's typical in Scotland to be offered a small jug of water, and as the anecdote above points out this is accepted by people who drink it for a job) and ice can be very pleasant, partly for the cooling and partly because as it melts you get differing flavours come through. And sometimes you want that throat-stripping blast of raw alcohol.

Still, I think we can all agree that these stones are a terrible idea. Unfortunately, anyone who is known as a whisk(e)y drinker risks receiving this crap as a gift at Christmas. Serving suggestion: smile, act grateful and chuck them in the garden when you get home.

[phuzz]

Re: Any article about whisk(e)y

It's not just typical in Scotland to provide water, it's how it's served in any pub in the UK that's not a sh*thole.

Just never, ever put the water in for the punter, everyone has their own preferred amount.

[hugo tyson]

Gotta be nuts!

http://www.screwfix.com/p/hex-nuts-a2-stainless-steel-m20-pack-of-10/38163

There, much cheaper...

[Captain DaFt]

Re: Gotta be nuts!

"http://www.screwfix.com/p/hex-nuts-a2-stainless-steel-m20-pack-of-10/38163

There, much cheaper..."

Yes, but be careful, and don't bolt it down!

[Anonymous Coward]

Don't the 'cheap shops' already sell fluid filled plastic things that do the same job ?

Still what do I know. Every clearly hairbrained idea seems to become a success, whilst the really sensible ones turn out to have a commercial problem with them.

[ChrisBedford]

Indeed

"Every clearly hairbrained idea seems to become a success"

...as witness the first model Fiat Multipla. I have yet to see an uglier car anywhere, any time. And yet, and yet... <sigh>

[Dan Paul]

Soapstone? Really......??????

Is anyone aware that soapstone can be contaminated with a form of Asbestos? That more and more people are saying that Talcum powder is hazardous? Serpentine can contain Abestos as can Tiger Eye. Let's not even think about the potential for Silicosis from harder stone.

Soft stone that is easily carved has a greater chance of containing Asbestos. This is not only a useless product but could be very hazardous to your health.

[ChrisBedford]

Re: Soapstone? Really......??????

Yeahhhhhh... AFAIK there's no danger from ingesting asbestos. And in the miniscule quantities you are going to find in solid soapstone, you could doubtless grind an entire $1k pack of pebbles into dust and snort the lot without any danger of asbestosis (which, you do realise, is a respiratory ailment, right?)

[Michael Wojcik]

Re: Soapstone? Really......??????

Oh, good lord. Asbestos is dangerous when small fibers are inhaled, since they can cause various lung pathologies, most notably mesothelioma. I don't see anyone suggesting you grind these cubes into dust and snort them.

Really, this must be the dumbest "think of the children" post I've seen in a while.

[Dabooka]

Whisk(e)y, wine and cigars....

It's all the 'Emperor's New Clothes' anyway.

Do YOU like it? Yes, carry on and well done sir! No? Then by all means discuss it and the mertis for or against, but you know, each to their own?

I get the logic for water in scotch, I have had plenty in my time and often needed it (Ardbeg Very Young benfited from a little) but to tell a guest or stranger they're WRONG? Never. Seen it done in pubs and whisk(e)y tastings and it classless.

Cigars too. 'Shouldn't use a punch cutter' or 'You don't take the band off' are the common ones I hear being said by the knackers. Who cares? Smoke your own and be good. The cigar club regualrs just leave each other be and have a smoke and a drink, with or without water / ice, and ahve a good giggle whilst going about it.

The chap who posted about the arsehole on the tour summed it up nicely, you don't impress with your perceived knowledge, you just come across as a twat.

EDIT Forgot to say, these things are shite. But I think that's accepted wisdom on these boards

[Peter Simpson 1]

Re: Whisk(e)y, wine and cigars....

'You don't take the band off'

Funny, my mum (!) always told me that only the ignorant lower classes smoke cigars with the bands on.

// she was brought up in an upper-class household and tried her best to pass that on...:-)

[Dabooka]

Re: Whisk(e)y, wine and cigars....

Taking them off before it's warmed up risks the glue pulling away on the crown leaf if you're REALLY unlucky. Apparently.....

Me? I fidget too much so it typically gets removed ASAP intact as a challenge!

[batfink]

Re: Whisk(e)y, wine and cigars....

Agreed - ignore the whisky/cigar/wine/anything else snobs. At home in Oz the wine snobs complained about the practice of putting your bottle of red wine in the fridge for half an hour before drinking it to cool it down. "But red wine should be drunk at room temperature" they'd cry. Well, as far as I'm concerned that doesn't apply when your f'n room temperature is 40C.

[Brian Souder 1]

Whisky Stones

It's funny - I came across these yesterday on Amazon yesterday when I was looking for Glenncairn glasses to go with my Laphroaig 18.

http://www.amazon.com/Sipping-Stones-Chilling-Carrying-Soapstone/dp/B005D78RPU/ref=sr_1_sc_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1417614158&sr=8-12-spell&keywords=Glenncairn

I was thinking it might have been a cultural thing I did not know about and I would have to look into it. Although for something like a fine scotch it would make sense. Why would you want to dilute it? Then I saw this:

http://www.amazon.com/Glencairn-The-Official-Glasses-Whisky-Tasting/dp/B005INXC72/ref=sr_1_23?ie=UTF8&qid=1417614609&sr=8-23&keywords=glencairn

Which I am hoping since it is for a tasting flight is just to cleanse the palate. Anyway, they have apparently been around for a while. Whiskey Advocate weighed in on them:

http://whiskyadvocate.com/whisky/2012/04/11/whisky-stones-do-they-rock-or-not/

I personally found the whiskey way more appealing warmed.

EDIT: Just saw Jimmy's comments on the water - now I am going to have to try it.

[I ain't Spartacus]

Re: Whisky Stones

I've tried most whiskies that I like both straight, and with a little water. My current favourite is Balvenie, which I take neat (although it does taste different with water). I find that the peatier ones benefit from a small splash of water, as it seems to bring some of the sweeter flavours out past the smokiness.

I've got a bottle of cask strength 18 year old which needs water, as at 65% alcohol it physically hurts the side of your tongue if you don't swallow it almost immediately. Giving you little time to actually taste the stuff - which rather defeats the object.

So it's horses for courses. Others prefer the peatier ones, and take them neat.

[Brian Souder 1]

Japan rivals Scotland in race for best whisky

I am new to all this. In fact, I have to admit, I normally am not a fan of scotch. Trying the Laphroaig got me drinking it over the last few months. Someone was telling me about the article below how the Japanese came in and duplicated the process. I have not tried any of it yet.

http://money.cnn.com/2014/11/24/news/japan-whisky/

[Anonymous Coward]

Idiegogo referral maths?

It says "when we receive $2000+ from your referrals, get 15 BoozeStone boxes' & '110 earned' which I make $220,000 but the total is only $16,000

[ecofeco]

Pet rocks!

Is it just me or did anyone else see the similarity to Pet Rocks?

Damn it! I knew this would come around again in another form and was hoping to get in on the scam this time!

[Richard Altmann]

Frozen

Grapes anyone?

[Francis Boyle]

As a true geek

I keep my whisky cool by drinking it from a USB cooler mug.

[Confuciousmobil]

I love the generic advice everyone gives.

I am a member of a Whisky club and I think the only thing we all agree on is that we all like our whisky in different ways (but never with more than a splash of clean water)

One bit of advice we were given was that if you do have ice you should use bottled water and make sure you wash your icecube trays (when was the last time you washed yours?) it is contaminates that give you a hangover.

The range of whiskys is stunning and they all taste different. Japanese whisky is great, so is Irish - but both over priced compared to scotch of a similar quality (at least in the UK). Indian Whisky is surprisingly good, unfortunately I can't say the same of English whisky.

Best advice is try them all - or just stick to one you like.

Just because you don't like one does not mean you won't like another and what one person raves about you might hate.

Just enjoy!

[Captain Boing]

I like meths. Could you advise on the different qualities to be had around the globe? I stole some off a whino in New York and I have to say it wasn't a patch on Halfords in Bletchley.

[ChrisBedford]

HA ha ha just keep telling yourself that

"...it is contaminates that give you a hangover"

Yeah, that's the spirit :-)

Actually, mate, it's a combination of many things, but principle amongst them is TOO MUCH ALCOHOL. No, really.

But that doesn't stop people (whisk(e)y clubs, seasoned drinkers, and others) from perpetuating myths like that. Yes, contaminates don't help you feel better in the morning, but leave out the alcohol and drink all the contaminates - including the dregs of a thousand ice trays - and you won't have a hangover. Guaranteed.

[Captain Boing]

difference is ice floats so the cooled drink is "convectively cycled" Stones would ensure just the bottom of your drink was cold... not a problem if it is a shot of something strong I 'spose but no good for general use unless you were stylishly swilling whilst leaning on the bureau or huge fireplace staring moodily at the drink before striding off with purpose... memo to self... must drop the poirot box set from netflix.

[Roj Blake]

I'm reasonably certain that the density of water ice is greater than that of a mixture of 40% ethanol and 60% cool water

[ChrisBedford]

"I'm reasonably certain that the density of water ice is greater than that of a mixture of 40% ethanol and 60% cool water"

Uh, whut?

Here's an experiment to test that hypothesis: take one cube (or any shaped, I suppose) chunk of frozen water and place in a container of a mixture of 40% ethanol and 60% cool water. Observe. Oh, wait...

[SirDigalot]

I use these

http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/1b4e/?srp=2

because i am geek-chic

and i am also a loser