Scotch Whisky Highball
A refreshing, bubbly and bitter whiskey cocktail ∙ Build ∙ 2 min ∙ 11.1% ABV ∙
The Scotch Whisky Highball is blended Scotch whisky topped with soda water over ice in a highball glass, finished with a lemon twist.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Pour the ingredients into the ice-filled glass: Blended Scotch whisky 45 mlSoda water 90 ml
- Stir gently
- Garnish with a lemon twist
Tips
- Pour the Scotch over ice first, then add the soda and give a single gentle stir so it keeps its fizz.
History
The Scotch Whisky Highball is essentially another name for Scotch and soda, one of the oldest members of the highball family, a drink style pairing a spirit with a larger volume of a fizzy mixer. The word "highball" itself is generally traced to American railroad slang, where a ball hoisted high on a signal pole meant a clear track and a command to proceed at full speed. Its bar-world debut is often credited to bartender-author Patrick Duffy, who recalled an English actor ordering a Scotch and soda at his New York bar in 1894.
The format spread quickly in Britain and the United States as soda syphons and carbonated water became widely available in the late 19th century. It later found its most enduring following in Japan, where Suntory promoted the Scotch-style highball through a chain of Torys bars from the 1950s onward, cementing whisky and soda as a national drink.
FAQ
Can you make a highball with Scotch?
Yes. The Scotch Whisky Highball is 45 ml blended Scotch whisky topped with 90 ml soda water over ice. The soda lightens the Scotch without masking it.
What is a whiskey highball cocktail?
Whiskey poured over ice and topped with a carbonated mixer, most often soda water. This version uses blended Scotch and soda, one part to two, with a lemon twist.
How do you drink a whisky highball?
Cold, over plenty of ice, at an easy pace while it still has its fizz. At about 11.1% ABV it drinks much lighter than whisky neat or on the rocks.
