Highland Highball
Build ∙ 2 min ∙ 10% ABV ∙
The Highland Highball is a Scotch whisky highball built with rosso vermouth, Bénédictine, and soda water over ice. Light and fizzy with a honeyed warmth underneath, this sips easy and crisp, finishing on a soft herbal note that lingers gently.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Pour all ingredients into the ice-filled glass: Blended Scotch whisky 20 mlRosso vermouth 15 mlBénédictine D.O.M. liqueur 5 mlSoda water 75 ml
- Briefly stir
- Garnish with a lemon wheel
Tips
- Pre-chill the glass before building so the soda stays lively and doesn't flatten on contact with warm glassware.
- Pour the soda water last and stir only briefly, just a few turns, to keep the carbonation from going flat.
History
The Highland Highball has no documented creator or bar of origin; it belongs to the modern trend of lengthening classic short cocktails with soda water and serving them over ice in a tall glass. Its Scotch, sweet vermouth, and Bénédictine base echoes the Bobby Burns, a Scotch-based riff on the Manhattan built from the same three ingredients, whose own name and origin — even its connection to the poet Robert Burns — remain disputed among cocktail historians.
FAQ
What is in a Highland Highball?
Blended Scotch whisky, rosso vermouth, and a small measure of Bénédictine, built over ice and lengthened with soda water, finished with a lemon wheel. The vermouth and Bénédictine are what set it apart from a plain whisky and soda.
How do you make a Highland Highball?
Pre-chill a highball glass and fill it with ice, then pour in the Scotch, rosso vermouth, and Bénédictine. Top with soda water, stir just a few turns so the carbonation survives, and garnish with a lemon wheel.
How is a Highland Highball different from a plain whisky highball?
A standard whisky highball is Scotch and soda over ice, nothing more. The Highland Highball keeps that long, fizzy format but adds rosso vermouth and a small pour of Bénédictine, giving it a sweeter, gently herbal depth a plain whisky and soda does not have.
