the iceman cometh
“Glacier ice is a novelty since it doesn’t actually affect the flavor of the drink,” Curtis told me after his talk. He had brought a slab of glacial ice to the seminar and had it broken down to chill the drinks of those in attendance. “It’s just something that adds to the story of the drink,” he continued. “That popping in the glass? It’s air that’s been entombed since before the Industrial Revolution, so it’s as pure as can be. There is something cool about that.”
http://www.foodrepublic.com/2012/06/14/are-you-cool-enough-iceberg-ice
According to the UN International Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction, criminal gangs involved in illegal mining for ice is a major additional threat to glaciers across the globe and putting them at risk from climate change.
http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/293548/20120206/illegal-ice-mining-poses-threat-glaciers-artificial.htm#.U-OYkW3nYRB