highball_cocktail

How to Make a Highball

Pick your liquor and go.

The invention of the highball, "high priest of tall drinks," as our 1949 Handbook for Hosts dubbed it, was claimed by Patrick Gavin Duffy, bartender at Manhattan's Ashland House. That was back around 1890. Seeing as it's nothing but spirits, ice, and soda water or ginger ale, you'd think it wouldn't take much inventing, but before then no red-blooded American drinker would have conceived of introducing water, of all things, into good red whiskey, tiny bubbles or no. So they say, anyway. (There's also the question of Duffy's intimacy with the Brandy and Soda, which they were drinking in England in the early 19th century, and the problem of what to do with the Splificator, the gloriously named recipe for what sounds suspiciously like a highball, published by Chris Lawlor of the Burnet House, Cincinnati, in 1895.) But if the name's all that Duffy invented, that's plenty, in our book—even if nobody's precisely sure where he got it.

The hardest part of mixing a highball—which began as a whiskey drink, but soon became less exclusive—is choosing your liquor. Once you've got that, the rest is a breeze.

Highball cocktail

The Highball Cider Cocktails. Crisp & refreshing organic hard cider fused with unique cocktail treatments - heralded by the industry's most cutting edge bartenders.

The series will launch with three varieties, each drawing inspiration from innovations in the craft cocktail world. They will feature the same base cider as the fermentable - using all organic, non-gmo apples.

Highball Cider Cocktails are presented by Peak Organic Brewing Co. Peak was founded with a simple mission: Find the best ingredients being grown – working with certified organic, local, and non-gmo farms. Use those ingredients to craft truly remarkable liquids. That idea is the foundation for the Highball Cider Cocktails.

Ginger I Mule is a clear nod to the moscow mule with ginger from our friends at Charlie's Redhouse Farm as the centerpiece. Herbaceous and flavorful, Ginger I Mule creates the perfect balance of spice and sweetness.

Grapefruit I Paloma features a grapefruit and lime treatment that crafts a stellar balance of tart and sweet.

Mint I Lime draws inspiration from a finely crafted mojito - with its potent blend of lime and mint. It's bright and aromatic, with a tangy citrus burst that is wildly refreshing.

The Classic Highball: A Refreshing Way to Enjoy Your Whiskey

• 3 mins
• Prep: 3 mins,
• Cook: 0 mins
• Yield: 1 serving

Every aspiring professional bartender should put this easy highball on their list of drinks to memorize. It is, quite simply, whiskey and ginger ale and is a fantastic, refreshing way to enjoy any style of whiskey you choose. Canadian, rye and bourbon whiskies all work very well.​

You may find some Highball recipes that use soda water, but ginger ale is most often used as the mixer. The sweet snap of ginger ale brings something to most whiskies and I think you'll like it just a little better than plain soda.

This mixed drink should not be confused with the class of drinks called "highballs." Those include most tall drinks with a base spirit and one or two non-alcoholic mixers.

Not to be too confusing: a Highball is a "highball" and is served in a highball glass.

What You'll Need

• 2 ounces whiskey
• Ginger ale

How to Make It

1. Fill a highball glass with ice.
2. Pour the whiskey into the glass.
3. Top with ginger ale.

How Strong is the Highball?

Your Highball can be as strong or as weak as you wish to make it. It all depends on your soda to whiskey ratio.

To give you an idea of how strong the average Highball is, let's assume we pour an 80-proof whiskey and 6 ounces of ginger ale. In this example, the drink would have an alcohol content of about 9% ABV (18 proof).

It can be a very light drink and that's why it is perfect for happy hour!

More Whiskey "Highball" Recipes

The combination of whiskey and soda in a tall drink is a popular one in the bar and there are many common drinks that follow this formula. If you're looking for a refreshing way to drink your favorite whiskey, give one of these easy recipes a try.

• Irish Ale - Irish whiskey, lime, ginger beer
• Irish Gold - Irish whiskey, peach schnapps, orange juice, ginger ale
• Jameson and Ginger (or Irish Buck) - Irish whiskey, ginger ale
• John Collins - bourbon, lemon, syrup, club soda
• Leprechaun - Irish whiskey, tonic
• Mamie Taylor - scotch, lime, ginger ale or beer
• Presbyterian - whiskey, club soda, ginger ale
• Seven and Seven - Seagram's 7 Crown Whiskey, 7-Up
• Whiskey Fizz - whiskey, lemon, sugar, soda

Basic Highball

Ingredients (3)

• 1 ounce whiskey
• 5 ounces cold ginger ale
• Twist of lemon peel

A highball is any spirit served with a carbonated beverage over ice. The origin of the term highball is about as difficult to pin down as a champagne bubble. New York bartender Patrick Duffy claimed to have invented it in 1895, and since no one has challenged him, he holds the title. A random poll in most bars would indicate that people have no idea what a highball is—yet it is right in front of them. Scotch and Soda, Gin and Tonic, Coolers, Daisies, and so on are all highballs. A highball is primarily any alcoholic drink meant to refresh.

The highball is served in a highball glass, but that goes without saying. Mixing the drink into an old-fashioned glass makes it a lowball. “Build” the drink in the glass by slowly adding ingredients one at a time. Avoid overstirring freshly opened carbonated beverages. A flat highball is a foul ball.

See also our Americano Cocktail—the American Highball.

How to Master the Highball

"I've spent five to six minutes watching a bartender painstakingly build a cocktail from just three ingredients."

Whiskey sodas have been my go-to for years—they’re tough to mess up and go down easy, even at less-than-exacting dive bars. Or so I thought, until the first time I visited Japan and was introduced to the wonders of the highball, a combination of whiskey and soda water that puts what we know as whiskey sodas to shame.

In Japan, highballs are both science and art. Every Japanese bartender has their own specific style, but what unites them is a precision that turns this dead-simple combo into a cocktail that’s more than the sum of its parts. “I've actually spent five to six minutes watching a Japanese bartender painstakingly build a cocktail from just three ingredients: ice, whisky, and soda water. In even the typical high end American cocktail bar that order will be finished in, what, 30-40 seconds?” says Stephen Lyman, founder of Kampai, a website devoted to Japanese izakaya culture, and the author of an upcoming book on Japanese alcohol traditions.

Most highballs in Japan consist of roughly two parts soda to one part whiskey, though Yusuke Sasaki, a representative of Japanese distilling giant Suntory (which makes both award-winning whiskies and canned highballs for convenience stores), says it depends which kind of whiskey you’re using. “For example, for Toki [a light, clean Japanese whisky], we recommend a 1:3 ratio. For Jim Beam [a more robust American whiskey], we recommend a 1:4 ratio,” he says.

Chilling is important, too—for the water, whiskey and glass, all of which contribute to the overall quality and taste sensation of the finished product. Ice usually comes in large, clear cubes to slow dilution, and is often added, stirred, and drained; then added again to chill the glass appropriately. Whiskey is added and carefully stirred, and then soda water, which is carefully stirred again, often an exact and minimal number of times to maintain carbonation. Garnishes run the gamut from none to citrus to occasionally other fruits and herbs, depending on the type of whiskey and its flavor profile.

There are other, perhaps less-tangible differences between a highball and a whiskey soda, too, including, importantly the context in which it’s consumed. Highballs are everywhere in Japan, from high-end cocktail bars with tuxedoed staff to cans in vending machines. Although the exact origins of the drink are murky, Suntory’s founder, Shinjiro Torii, is widely credited with popularizing the cocktail in the 1950s at his “Tory’s Bars,” which specialized in highballs.

Torii found that diluting whiskey with water and ice was a way to bring to the spirit’s proof down and make whiskey accessible to a wider audience. Highballs became an easy-sipping drink to accompany a meal, often as in lieu of beer. “The highball is supposed to be a light, refreshing, cold beer alternative,” says Lyman. “So the ‘right’ way is to make something that's not too boozy, retains its effervescence, and stays nice and cold.”

At a recent visit to Suntory’s Yamazaki Distillery in Japan, distillers outlined their steps to making a perfect highball:

The Perfect Highball

1. Fill a straight-sided 8-12 ounce glass—commonly known as, yes, a highball glass—to the brim with large, clear ice cubes. (Though it’s worth noting that some bars serve highballs in beer steins, emphasizing their beer-like drinkability.) If desired, you may stir the ice a few times and drain any water that’s melted off of it.

2. Add one part whiskey, and stir approximately ten times with a long-handled muddler to cool both the whiskey and the glass. Top off the glass with another ice cube or two to reach the brim again.

3. Pour two to four parts chilled soda water in to the top of the glass, depending on what kind of whiskey you’re using.

4. Stir approximately twice, vertically, using a long-handled muddler in order keep the soda fizzy.

5. Garnish, if you wish, and enjoy.

Just Add Soda: 11 Highball Cocktails to Drink All Summer

Master the classic highball cocktail using these 11 easy, refreshing recipes.

You don’t need a doctorate in mixology to up your cocktail game. You just need a tall glass, ice, spirits, and a little fizz. In other words, you need a highball.

Tequila Highball

When in doubt, add soda. Yes, even with tequila.

Extra Stormy Dark and Stormy

Ginger brew and rum are a match made in heaven—we love this classic cocktail even in sunny weather. Lemon, lime, and candied ginger make for a very well-rounded drink.

Tepache Highball

Tepache is a fermented pineapple liquor commonly sold by street vendors in parts of Mexico.

The classic garnishes for a Pimm's cup—cucumbers, strawberries, and orange and lemon slices—are why we crave this drink every spring and summer.

American Light

Try this one out on your Campari and soda lovers.

South Side

The horse's neck garnish is perfect for a highball glass. Learn how to make one here .

Looking for a margarita alternative? The Paloma—made with grapefruit soda—is exactly what you're looking for.

The Americano is one of those classic cocktails that feel fresh again, perhaps thanks to the fact that we are seeing Campari everywhere.

Cel-Ray and Aquavit

If you can find Cel-Ray soda, this is a revelation. Your best bet? Go to an old-school deli.

The Foodist’s House Cocktail

If you like the smoky notes of mezcal, substitute half the tequila with it instead. To scale up, increase the drink ingredients only—you'll have enough ice cubes for several cocktails.

The créme de cassis in this drink adds fruity sweetness without being cloying.

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Highball

A smoky, maritime-tinged version of the classic Highball cocktail recipe, this drink blends Talisker Storm and soda – plus a pinch of white pepper for added spice.

About this recipe

Ingredients

Talisker® Storm

Talisker® Storm

Talisker Storm is an exuberant new expression of Talisker: more intense and smoky, with enhanced and vibrant maritime notes, smoothly balanced by Talisker's signature hot sweetness.

How to make

Fill a highball glass with ice cubes.

Using a jigger, measure 50ml Talisker Storm and 150ml soda into the glass.

Garnish with a pinch of white pepper.

Avoid top-ups

It’s easier to keep track of your drinks if you know how many full glasses you’re drinking.

highball

highball

highball

Past participle: highballed

highball

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Cocktails for the Highball Glass

From the classic Pimm's iced tea to a strawberry-lemon mojito, these recipes are perfect cocktails for the highball glass.

Tangled Up

"In southern Spain, they love rebujitos," says Washington, DC, bartender Derek Brown about the sherry-lemon soda spritzer. He gives his version a pleasantly bitter boost with Suze, a French aperitif. "It's refreshing," he says, "but you get a little more than just sweet and easy."

A classic drink called El Diablo (tequila, lime juice, Crème de cassis and ginger ale) inspired Philip Ward's Dahlgren. He replaced the ginger ale with club soda and ginger syrup—it has more zing—and the cassis with tawny port.

Fog Cutter

The Fog Cutter is a classic concoction from the legendary Victor "Trader Vic" Bergeron. Forbidden Island owner Martin Cate not only serves the tiki drink, at his bar, he's also the registered owner of California license plate FGCUTTR.

In-Sandíary

This cocktail's name is a play on both the Spanish word for watermelon, sandía, and "incendiary," referring to the peppery tequila and the spicy ancho chile rim.

Lemony Laurel

This cocktail has two magic ingredients: Galliano, an anise-scented Italian liqueur, and lemons roasted with bay leaves.

Pimm's Iced Tea

Pimm's No. 1, a gin-based aperitif invented by London bar owner James Pimm in 1823, is the quintessential English summer-afternoon drink (and the traditional drink of Wimbledon). Here, Jamie Boudreau combines it with tea, another beloved British beverage.

Tequila's Restaurant in Philadelphia is known for its authentic Mexican menu and selection of nearly 100 tequilas.

El Gusano Rojo

Sweet passion fruit nectar balances out the smokey mezcal in this orange-hued cocktail.

One Hot Minute

This spicy and fruity concoction was Jacques Bezuidenhout's entry in Tabasco's 2008 Hottest Bartender Contest. The drink won first prize.

Peach Donkey

A fizzy, refreshing drink, this peach donkey recipe gets its flavor from a ginger liqueur.

Vodka-Thyme Lemonade

This subtle variation on a Vodka Collins—lemon juice, sugar, vodka and soda—pairs well with the clean, light flavors in star chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten's Asian-inflected cooking.

Golden Age

While unpacking rarely used bottles of booze the day before the lounge opened, The Violet Hour co-owner and bartender Toby Maloney took time to concoct this drink with Cherry Heering in what fellow owner Jason Cott calls "a mad flash of inspiration."

Strawberry-Lemon Mojitos

Strawberries sweeten these mojitos from mixologist Joaquin Simo.

Peachy Sweet

This tropical drink features both sweetened coconut milk and whole milk, blended together with banana, apple juice and peach nectar.

This is mixologist Philip Ward's take on what might be Mexico's most popular tequila drink. Instead of using bottled grapefruit soda, he combines grapefruit juice, simple syrup and club soda.

Red Grape & Coconut Refresher

The secret ingredient in this bubbly champagne cocktail is coconut water.

Why the Highball Is the Ideal Whisky Cocktail

July 13, 2017 | Brittany Risher

While there’s a wide array of whisky cocktails out there, the Highball might be the ideal way to enjoy the spirit, especially in the summer. Not only is a Highball incredibly easy to build—all you need is whisky, soda, and ice, and the ability to pour and stir—it’s also incredibly easy to drink, and to customize to your own taste.

“Highballs are great cocktails because they are easy, refreshing, quick to make, and sessionable,” says Jesse Vida, head bartender at New York City’s Blacktail. “They definitely fit the summer season.”

And like most cocktails, the origins of this thirst-quenching drink has many versions. “Most folks agree that the Highball started out as a sparkling brandy cocktail with the English gentry in the 1790s, when Johann Jacob Schweppe had just set up his first soda shop in London,” explains Jessica Norris, director of beverage at Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group.

Some say a bartender named Patrick Gavin Duffy brought the drink to the U.S. in 1895. Supposedly, English actors would stop by his New York City bar requesting scotch and soda, and he was happy to oblige.

Even the name “Highball” is something of a mystery. It may come from late 19th century English golf club bars, where “ball” meant “whisky” served in a high glass, or it might have originated in the railroad industry. A “highball” was the signal that a train was cleared to leave the station and, some say, the conductor would then give two short whistle blows, followed by one long one. The Highball cocktail is two shots of liquor and one long pour of mixer.

Legends aside, as easy as the Highball’s recipe seems to be, there are still some best practices to ensure your fizzy drink doesn’t fizzle.

Make The Perfect Highball

1. Use only the best ingredients

“Quality ingredients always make quality cocktails,” Norris says, and when you’re working with only a few ingredients, every single one counts. Skimp on anything and your drink will taste cheap.

If you are mixing with basic soda, the base is truly bartender’s choice. Try a Highball with blended scotch or Japanese whisky, wheated bourbon, or a single grain whisky.

Again, there are only three ingredients in your glass, so now is not the time to buy off-brand, off-flavor seltzer. Norris likes Fever-Tree, but use the brand you prefer—or try it with your own SodaStream.

The smaller the ice, the more surface area it has, and the faster it melts—and the more quickly your drink is diluted. So although any ice will work, it’s best to use big cubes if you have them. They’ll keep your drink cold without watering it down before you can enjoy it to the last sip.

This helps make for the coldest drink possible. If you forget to plan ahead, you can quickly chill a glass by filling it with ice and water and stirring for 30 or so rotations before dumping it out.

There is no universally agreed-upon Highball formula, but Norris likes 2 parts whisky to 2 1/2 parts soda. “Otherwise, sometimes the booze sticks out too much,” she explains.

7. Accessorize accordingly

The basic Highball can be dressed up as much as you desire. Swap out the plain seltzer for a flavored variety, add a little simple syrup, or garnish with citrus peel, fresh herbs, or fruit. Your imagination sets the limits.

Have fun designing your own custom Highball! If you want to practice first, try one of these recipes from top bartenders.

Created by Gates Otsuji, chef de bar for The Standard in New York City and co-founder of Swig + Swallow, this variation on the Highball dresses up bourbon with fruity flavors.

This Highball variation, created by Zack Berger, head bartender at New York City’s Analogue, adds a zing of fresh rosemary to Four Roses and ginger beer.

More From Cocktails

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Fare Thee Well

A blend of sweet and savory, this cocktail mixes bourbon and fruit flavors.

Seelbach Cocktail

Spicy and bubbly, this whiskey and champagne cocktail is perfect for brunch.

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