This summer, keep whisky cool with the spherical ice ball, a sleek alternative to traditional ice cubes. Made in Japan, spherical ice molds make large, icy spheres, each two inches in diameter. These modern spheres are replicas of the hand carved ice balls made by apprentice bartenders in Japan. They don’t melt as fast as traditional cubes, keeping whisky cool and pure through the long, hazy days of summer.
The makers of Yamazaki whisky recommend using the ice ball because it doesn’t dilute the spirit; the last sip is the same as the first. Ice balls are used in high-end bars and hotels in Japan, and learning the technique is part of training for Japanese bartenders, who carve the ice balls from larger ice blocks by hand. To see a video of the process, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiZDsvrGZAo.