The Forty Creek Guide
to Whisky Stones

In the last 10 years, Canadian whisky has emerged as one of the most complex in terms of flavour profiles. This is because our whisky laws allow for more freedom when it comes to blending techniques and leveraging unique flavour profiles.

Over the years, purists have claimed that all whisky is best served room temperature. But with the emergence of new and complex profiles, the use of temperature and dilution have reemerged as legitimate ways to experience everything that a whisky has to offer.

As such, whisky stones have emerged as a practical accessory to affect the temperature of your spirit without dilution. In this article, we’ll explore what whisky stones are, the history of whisky stones, their role in the experience and how they can enhance your favourite whisky.

Whisky stones are simply that: stones of various kinds of materials that you can chill and place in your whisky to chill it. They offer a level of control that ice does not: chill the temperature but don’t dilute the spirit. They have been used in various ways since the stone age but have, most recently, made a resurgence as the ‘must-have’ accessory for any whisky-enthusiast.

Both the dilution and the temperature that whisky is served can significantly influence its flavour profile. But what if you only want to affect temp? Whisky stones are the perfect way to chill whisky without diluting it.

Using whisky stones is a fairly straightforward process. Remove them from the freezer, carefully place 2-3 rocks in your favourite glass, pour in the whisky, and wait a minute or two for it to chill. If the temperature gets too low for your liking, remove a rock or two until you’re happy.