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From grain mash to first sip, time-honored techniques are distilled into every bottle of Pendleton® Whisky. So, why shouldn’t your ice also live up to the same standard of excellence?
Meet clear ice, the unsung hero of your whisky cocktail. Revered by mixologist experts globally, clear ice could be the difference maker in our pours at home.
Here we’ll unpack not only how to make clear ice at home, but also the best way to honor the craftsmanship distilled in every bottle of Pendleton® Whisky.
Have you ever wondered why your whisky on the rocks tastes slightly different at home than at the bar? The problem isn’t your pour, it’s the ice.
The ice in your freezer can often feature a centralized, cloudy appearance, caused by uncontrollable factors like air pressure, minerals, or dirt infiltration. The result: a watered-down, tainted glass with some potentially unwanted lingering aftertastes.
So, why is clear ice better for cocktails and used by the pros? Let’s break it down.
Clear ice is the perfect finishing touch for our uniquely crafted Canadian Whisky, made only with pure, glacier-fed spring water from Mt. Hood. A true dynamic duo.
The secret behind creating clear ice is a bartending and scientific technique called directional freezing, first coined by Camper English of Alcademics in 2009. This method is all about controlling the direction in which water freezes for that crystal-clear look. By allowing water to freeze from only one direction in a controlled manner, it forces air and other impurities towards the bottom of an insulated cooler or specialty tray, leaving behind only clear ice on top.
Before we put this technique into practice, here are some expert mixologist tips to help you prepare:
Make Some Room: Make space in your freezer for your insulated cooler or ice tray molds. For best freezing results, keep the temperature at 32°F and let sit for a minimum of 12 hours.
Prep Your Water: What kind of water should you use to make clear ice? The key is filtered, distilled, or twice-boiled water, which works best to create that pure, crystal-clear ice look while avoiding that unpleasant, mineral-like taste.
Here, we unpack the question all aspiring mixologists are curious about: Can you make clear ice in your freezer at home? The good news is that there are many ways to achieve a bartender-worthy look. Here are three simple ones you can try for yourself.
What You’ll Need:
What You’ll Do:
Best for: The clearest, most pure-looking ice
Why It Works: Allowing it to freeze in an insulated environment and with the lid off forces the water to freeze from the top down, leaving only the bottom quarter with the water impurities caused by air pressure or bubbles.
Bartender Tip: How do you cut and shape clear ice at home? Before cutting into the ice, mixologists recommend pulling out the ice before it’s fully frozen and letting it sit at room temperature to slightly defrost. This step helps make the cutting process easier before using a knife, hacksaw, or hammer to break the ice itself.
What You’ll Need:
What You’ll Do:
Best for: Decorative ice cubes that’ll impress your guests
Why It Works: The best clear ice molds or trays are the ones designed with insulation along the sides, allowing the clear ice to form naturally through directional freezing.
What You’ll Need:
What You’ll Do:
Best for: Creating DIY clear ice with items you already own
Why It Works: The double-boil method helps in removing any additional oxygen and gas, resulting in a more pristine looking ice cube. Note that because this option is the least insulated, some ice impurities can still filter to the center, although much smaller than standard ice.
Whisky lovers know how important the proper glassware is to take in every note of the spirit. Paired with the right kind of ice, it can make your pour even more legendary. These are some of our favorite ways to craft clear ice for cocktails.
Ideal Ice: Large square cube for your rocks glass
The crystal-clear ice is the perfect complement for savoring the bold, rich taste of Pendleton® 1910 Bourbon, bringing out a bright, citrusy flavor and ending on a creamy, vanilla-like note. The large square cube enhances it that much more.
Ideal Ice: Spear or mini multi-cubes in a highball glass
The perfect mix of whisky sour and whisky soda, this cocktail is the best of both worlds. It’s refreshing yet warming; sweet yet spicy; refreshing yet bold. This flavor profile is the perfect partner for our Pendleton® Whisky Original and for a spear-shaped clear ice cube.
Ideal Ice: Sphere for slow sipping and enjoyment
A whisky lover’s tried-and-true cocktail. Crafted with Pendleton® Whisky Midnight, every sip tastes as iconic as it looks when paired with an iconic ice sphere. The best part: ice spheres melt the slowest due to their density, letting that delicious moment linger for that much longer.
Want more great whisky cocktails to pair with your clear ice? Explore our cocktail recipes page for inspiration.
Whether you’re winding down with a pour after a hard day’s work or hosting a backyard barbeque paired with whisky and loved ones, your glass deserves only the finest — in ice and spirit. Clear ice is the best way to showcase the spirit of the American West, the way it was intended: with integrity and without compromise.
Raise the bar at home with your newfound clear ice-making skills and by ordering a bottle of Pendleton® Whisky today.
