Scotch Whisky Highball
Build ∙ 2 min ∙ 12.3% ABV ∙
A Scotch Whisky Highball is a simple two-part highball of blended Scotch whisky topped with soda water, built over ice in a tall glass. Smoky malt and light caramel float over a crisp, effervescent backbone, with the soda keeping the finish clean and easy rather than heavy.
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
- Pre-chill the glass so the soda doesn't lose its fizz before the drink is even garnished.
- Stir gently and briefly — just enough to combine, since vigorous stirring knocks the carbonation out of the soda water.
- Fill the glass fully with ice before pouring so the whisky and soda chill fast without over-diluting.
- Express the lemon twist over the surface before dropping it in, releasing the oils into the drink.
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, though some accounts instead point to golf. 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, an event later cited as the drink's naming moment; Duffy went on to give the earliest known printed recipe for a whisky-and-Apollinaris-water highball in his own bartending guide.
The format spread quickly in Britain and the United States as soda syphons and carbonated water became widely available in the late 19th century, making a quick spirit-and-soda pour an easy bar staple. It later found its most enduring following in Japan, where Suntory founder Shinjiro Torii promoted the Scotch-style highball through a chain of Torys bars from the 1950s onward, cementing whisky and soda as a national drink and giving the simple combination its lasting association with Japanese bar culture.
FAQ
Can you make a highball with Scotch?
Yes — a Scotch Whisky Highball is simply blended Scotch whisky topped with soda water, built over ice. It is one of the simplest ways to serve Scotch, letting the soda lighten the spirit rather than mask it.
What is a whiskey highball cocktail?
A whiskey highball is a whiskey built over ice and lengthened with a carbonated mixer, most often soda water. This version uses blended Scotch whisky and soda water in a tall glass, finished with a lemon twist.
What is a good mix for Scotch whisky?
Soda water is a classic mixer for Scotch whisky, as in this build, since it adds effervescence and length without overpowering the whisky's own flavor. A lemon twist added at the end brings a light citrus lift to the aroma.
How do you drink a whisky highball?
Serve it cold and drink it slowly while the ice keeps it chilled, sipping through the fizz rather than downing it fast. Because it is built to about 12.3% ABV, it drinks lighter and easier than whisky served neat or on the rocks.
What mixes well with Scotch whisky?
Soda water is a reliable, low-fuss mixer for Scotch whisky, diluting it gently while preserving its character, as this highball demonstrates. A twist of lemon peel adds aromatic lift without adding sweetness.
