A Bar Spoon

Recommend: Briout Bar Spoon

You're making an Old Fashioned or a Manhattan. You put the ingredients in a glass, and your first instinct is to grab a regular kitchen teaspoon to stir it. The spoon is tiny, your knuckles are dunking in the drink, and you're just sort of sloshing the ice around. It’s awkward, messy, and ineffective.

Cocktails like the Old Fashioned, Manhattan, and Martini are "stirred" cocktails. They need to be stirred, not shaken, to achieve the perfect chill, dilution, and silky texture. You need the right tool.

What It Is: A long, slender metal spoon with a twisted handle and a small, weighted bowl.

Why You Actually Need It: Its length (usually 12 inches) allows you to stir in a tall mixing glass without getting your hand wet. The twisted handle is designed to spin gracefully between your fingers, and the small bowl moves around the ice, not against it. This chills the drink efficiently without over-diluting it or chipping the ice.

How It Makes Your Whiskey Experience Better: It’s the difference between a clunky, watery cocktail and a silky, professional-tasting one. It’s a simple, inexpensive tool that makes a huge difference in your cocktail game.

What to Look For:

Length: It matters, here. 12 inches is the standard.

Weighted end: Look for one with a weighted "teardrop" or "muddler" end. This balances the spoon in your hand and makes stirring feel more natural.

Style: The "spiral" (twisted handle) is what you want.