It is the season for the whisky highball. The simple mix of whisky and soda is a great way to showcase the differences in flavour profiles in a range of whiskies. You can really discover the complexity of the spirit when soda water is added. If you would like to elevate your whisky highball, there are many simple ways to do this, anything from flavoured soda waters to homemade syrups to selection of garnish.
A brief history of the highball
It is hard to pinpoint exactly where the highball was invented as there are many stories when it comes to the history of the drink. One of the most common stories takes place in 1894 and is about an English actor, E. J. Ratcliffe, whose favourite hangout was The Adams House in Boston. It was there that he asked the barman for a scotch and soda, or the scotch highball, as he called it. To his disappointment, the bar didn’t stock any scotch at the time, but after months of hunting down some cases, the barman finally managed to find some. The bottles didn’t last very long as the highball became a hit.
In 1895, the drink appeared in a book called The Mixologist under the name of ‘Splificator’. If we go even further back in time, it is likely that scotch and soda evolved from brandy and soda in the early 1800s. Brandy and soda was a popular drink in England then, and it only makes sense for someone to try a similar serve with scotch whisky. This would explain the highball’s journey to America via people like Ratcliffe.
Its popularity today
Over the years, the highball faded away and remained on the backbench until 2008. Suntory wanted to strengthen the Japanese whisky scene and launched a successful marketing campaign for their canned Kakubin whisky and soda, known as Kaku Highball. The idea was to use a quality soda water that paired well with the whisky.
A bar in Tokyo known as Marugin is to thank for the revival of this long drink. They were the first in Japan to really start serving the highball, and even today, most people go there for that reason.
Thanks to the Japanese influence, the highball has become popular around the world. It is such an easy drink to make and versatile due to the wide range of whiskies. Whether you make it with scotch, American whiskey, Japanese malts, a blend or a single malt, it all comes down to the complexity of the flavour profile.
Need new highball glasses? See Urban Bar for a great selection of highball glassware.
Elevate your whisky highball
In Japan, less is more when it comes to highballs, but the rest of us are more than happy to jazz up our serves with a touch of flavoured syrup, liqueur or unique soda waters. It doesn’t have to be overly complicated. After all, highball is all about allowing the whisky to shine. The key is to complement it.
You might not think so, but there are significant differences between soda waters, and I would always encourage you to choose one with a low salt level, long-lasting fizziness, and a clean, crisp taste. If you are looking for the best water to use for your whisky highballs, I definitely recommend Larkfire. Larkfire has an ideal level of fizziness, and it doesn’t bring any extra flavours into the drink. You can still clearly taste the whisky in question.
Add a touch of fruitiness through syrups such as grilled peach, red berries or lychee, add floral notes with elderflower or hibiscus, or bring those herbal notes to the forefront with various garnish options. By creating a tea-based syrup you can play with flavours such as Earl Grey, mixed berries, or mint. The citrus and bergamot from Earl Grey tea pairs well with floral flavour profiles and the subtle smokiness of some single malts.
A quicker upgrade to your highball can be made using flavoured soda water. Look for sodas with delicate flavours and long-lasting fizziness. Avoid overly sweet ones as you want to keep the highball dry and refreshing.
To help you get started on jazzing up your whisky highballs, I have selected three easy yet fun recipes for you to try.
Tip: Cask-strength and higher ABV whiskies work well in cocktails as they add texture and bring different notes from the whisky to the forefront, contributing significantly to the body of the drink.
Pink Highball
For this serve, look for a whisky with strong, ripe red-berry notes and fresh fruitiness. A whisky with subtle cask influence, such as second-fill ex-bourbon. The cherry syrup adds a touch of sweetness, and it looks stunning if added last. However, it can easily be skipped completely if you prefer your highball on the dry side.
40ml Fruity single malt (for example, Penderyn Madeira Finish)
25ml Rosé vermouth
Soda water
2 bar spoons of syrup from the cherry jar (optional)
Simply build the drink over ice and garnish with the cherries and the syrup.
Cucumber Highball
I found this recipe from Imbibe magazine. It was created by Kassady Wiggins, the beverage director at Joyce in LA. She used Suntory Toki, which is a Japanese blended whisky. It has notes of apple and citrus and a spicier finish with ginger and white pepper.
55ml Japanese whisky
15ml Cucumber syrup
Pinch of sea salt
Soda water, chilled
Cucumber ribbon garnish
Add the cucumber peel inside the glass wall, then add ice and all the ingredients. Give it a gentle stir.
To make the syrup, combine 1 cup of cane sugar and very thin slices of cucumber in a bowl. Stir occasionally and let sit at room temperature until a syrup is formed. Pour through a fine-mesh strainer into an airtight container. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
White Peach & Jasmine Highball
Many younger whiskies work well in highballs due to their light, fresh and vibrant tasting notes. I find that lighter whisky complements the lovely flavour profile of this soda water. There have been many rum-finished whiskies released this year so I would recommend looking into those for this serve. The exotic fruity sweetness goes well with the soda.
40ml Rum-finished whisky (Try Black Bottle Captain’s Cask)
London Essence White Peach & Jasmine Soda
Citrus peel for garnish
Simply build the drink over ice and garnish with an orange or pink grapefruit peel.
Do you have a favourite Highball recipe? What is your go-to whisky for the Highballs?
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