The best drink we’ve had in months was a simple Scotch at Star Bar (starbar.jp), in Tokyo, that took 15 minutes to make, thanks to the hand-carved ice. There’s no question that “rocks” are the cocktail ingredient of the moment. Chicago’s Violet Hour has a Kold-Draft machine that makes outsize shimmering cubes. At New York’s PDT, mixologist Jim Meehan uses a Japanese press to form perfect spheres. “It’s a beauty to behold as you sip,” he says. Cool.
