Highballs Recipe

Chill glass

Place a highball (tall) glass in the freezer for 10 minutes prior to assembling, or fill it with ice water while preparing ingredients to cool the glass. This keeps carbonation longer when serving.

Choose a clean tall highball glass (10–12 oz). Prepare one large clear ice cube or fill with fresh cubed ice or crushed ice depending on style.

Add ice and spirit

Fill the chilled highball glass about two-thirds with large clear ice (one large cube) or fresh cubed ice. Pour 2 oz blended or Japanese whisky over the ice.

Top with soda

Slowly pour 4 oz very cold club soda down the side of the glass so as not to disturb carbonation and create excessive foam. Aim for a gentle stream to preserve effervescence.

Garnish & serve

Gently stir once with a long bar spoon (3–4 revolutions) from top to bottom to coax soda and whisky together without flattening. Express a lemon twist over the drink and drop it in, or place a lemon wheel on the rim. Serve immediately.

Fill the highball glass with large ice. Add 2 oz whisky or light rum. Add 0.25 oz simple syrup or 0.5 oz fresh lime juice if you prefer brightness.

Top with 4 oz chilled ginger ale or ginger beer poured gently down the side. Stir once gently (2–3 turns). Garnish with a lime wheel or a lemon twist.

Fill the glass with ice, add 2 oz vodka and 0.5 oz fresh lime juice if desired. Top with 4 oz chilled club soda or tonic. Stir gently (2 revolutions). Garnish with a lime wedge.

If using bitters, add 1 dash of Angostura or orange bitters onto the top of the finished drink and gently stir once. Bitters add aromatic complexity particularly to whisky highballs.

Serve immediately while the carbonation is lively. For the cleanest taste keep soda and spirit well chilled. Use minimal stirring to preserve effervescence. Adjust spirit-to-mixer ratio to taste; a 1:2 spirit-to-mixer is standard but 1:3 is common for lighter drinks.