In focus: The art of Japanese ice carving

In celebration of World Whisky Day, SB quizzes Suntory Whisky’s brand ambassador Zoran Peric on ice carving techniques, and discovers how the practice became a symbolic part of Japanese bartending.

Suntory Japanese Whisky’s brand ambassador Zoran Peric

Could you summarise your career to-date?
“Twenty years ago I started as a back bar and gradually just worked my way up in bartending, eventually in bar management. That is when I started working closer with spirits brands. I have always been hugely influenced by Japanese bar culture and bartending.

“Following a trip out there, I became fascinated by their techniques and learnt that ice carving, whilst theatrical, also creates ice that serves an important purpose in the drink. I was then brought on by Suntory Japanese Whisky as brand ambassador where a large part of my role is to bring ice carving to London’s bar scene, training up some of London and Europe’s best bartenders.”

Where did you learn to carve ice?
“I learnt in both Japan and London, mainly at the Skylon Bar around 2006 and 2007. When I started working with Suntory nine years ago, I travelled to Japan and spent a lot of time with Japanese bartenders over there. They are so fascinating to learn from as they really take their time to perfect every move.”

What are the ‘standard’ ice carving shapes, and how do they each enhance the serve?
“The most commonly found ice shapes are the ice rock, large cube, ice diamond and of course, the ice ball. Each require different tools and some take much longer to master than others. The rock, in various shapes and sizes best suits whisky-based cocktails and highball serves.

“The diamond or large cube is best suited to something like a Boulevardier (whisky, Campari and sweet vermouth) – it melts slowly, preserving the cocktail, but also as the drink is clear it looks striking aesthetically. The ice ball has a smaller surface area, making it ideal for neat whisky and allowing the perfect amount of dilution.”

What tools do you use?
“The tools range from large to small – the largest is the ice saw, a 42cm one, is used to saw and crack the ice. Then you have the smaller ones like the ice knife, single pick, three pick, mallet and cleaver. As you can tell from the names, these aren’t toys and shouldn’t be treated like them.

“As you are using very sharp, dangerous equipment you have to be focused on job at hand and consider safety. Also, you want to take care of them as they don’t come in cheaply. For professional ice tools, you are looking at around £700 for the basic set. They are all hand-made as quality is key.”

How long does it take to carve each shape?
“It depends what level you are at. Taking your time to perfect it pays off and also, you don’t want to lose any fingers. Something people often forget is that you are holding the ice for a long time – consider trying to hold a pile of ice in your hands for around ten minutes?

“Once you get used to the cold and get faster, ice diamonds can take about a minute, the ice ball around 2 to 3 minutes and the rock is always simple to produce. Ice blocks are around half a meter long and once it is sawn in half, it is easy to break down into an ice rock with the single pick.”

Why is ice so important in Japanese drink serving?
“The Japanese like to preserve their drink – it keeps the flavour and they also regard aesthetic as important. It actually has a traditional history, stemming from the Japanese aristocracy. Obviously, ice was difficult to preserve before we had freezers, particularly in warmer countries like Japan.

“The luxury of refreshing your palate with ice was a privilege that only the aristocracy had access to. This symbol of power grew to become a symbolic part of Japanese bartending, with ice blocks taking pride place in the bar. Traditionally, a Japanese bartender will carve ice for his guests as the host.”

How does Japanese bartending differ from western styles of bartending?
“Firstly, they are trained much longer there than in London. This can range from two to five years of bar training. Here, you can be professional in around 6 months. This is because they are much more patient and precise, using techniques that are inspired by tradition. Every move is important from stirring to shaking and even presenting.

“Secondly, the style of service there is different. There is no such thing as fast bar service – customers appreciate a carefully crafted and presented drink.”

What are your top tips for carving ice?
“Don’t do it at home! Be careful, it can be very dangerous and you need to use professional tools. Training is essential and, like the Japanese, taking time to craft and perfect the skill will pay off. Even when your first ice diamond looks more like a crumb, keep on trying.”

Are bars starting to take ice seriously now?
“Yes, certainly. They have clocked on to the importance of dilution, especially when serving quality drinks. Japanese ice is crystal clear because there are no air bubbles – it is deoxygenated. Because of its tightly compact nature, it then dilutes much slower and rather than melting into the drink it just chills it.

“Enjoying a drink over time is a luxury. Bars are serving up highly complex, stunning cocktails nowadays, often made with quality alcohol. This is definitely not something you want to dilute with McDonalds ice. Also, it adds an element of theatre!”