Whiskey Highball: The Simple Cocktail That Will Wow Your Guests!

Here’s how to make the classic whiskey highball: tall, bubbly, and all about the spirit! This cocktail is a refreshing way to enjoy your favorite whiskey.

Here’s a refreshing way to drink your favorite whiskey: the classic Whiskey Highball! This two-ingredient cocktail originated around the turn of the 20th century and it’s still popular to this day. Why? It’s so easy to make: no cocktail shakers or fancy ingredients required! It’s an intriguing way to enjoy the flavors in a sip of whiskey. This drink has two variations: one straight classic for whiskey lovers, and one as a more balanced drink. Here’s how to make it!

What’s a whiskey highball?

A whiskey highball is part of the highball cocktails family: mixed drinks that combine alcohol with a larger percentage of non-alcoholic mixer. Other famous highballs are the gin and tonic or vodka cranberry. The whiskey highball was born in the early 1900’s and initially combined Scotch whiskey with soda water, called “scotch and soda.” The ingredients you’ll need for whiskey highball are:

• Whiskey (bourbon, rye, Scotch, or Japanese whiskey)
• Soda water (or ginger ale or ginger beer)
• Lemon, for garnish

Mix them together, and you’ve got a bubbly, refreshing mixed drink starring your favorite whiskey.

Use soda water, ginger ale or ginger beer

What does mixing whiskey and soda water taste like? In truth: like watered down whiskey. It’s nothing like a Vodka Tonic: the vodka version of a highball that tastes light and citrusy. Here’s a little breakdown on the bubbles to use in a whiskey highball:

• Soda water: Use soda water if you’re a whiskey lover! It’s a great way to appreciate the complexity of whiskey with no sweetness.
• Ginger ale or ginger beer: If you prefer more balanced drinks like the Whiskey Sour, try this drink with ginger ale or ginger beer. It gives it more sweet notes to balance out the dry, spicy whiskey.

Make a whiskey highball with any spirit

Some people consider the whiskey highball as a template drink: you can use it as a template to make a highball using any spirit! To us, the whiskey highball should be made with whiskey. But! You can also tinker with the formula and make a highball with any spirit.

Use the ratio 2 parts soda water to 1 part spirit. Try a vodka highball (though we like the vodka tonic), gin highball, tequila highball…whatever strikes your fancy!

More classic whiskey drinks

Love whiskey? Us too. Here are some of our favorite whiskey drinks (and bourbon cocktails):

• Paper Plane A standout modern classic that mixes bourbon and Aperol.
• Milk Punch A bourbon cocktail made with milk and sugar! It’s cold and creamy, and works for brunch or evening.
• Penicillin This tasty modern classic stars Scotch, honey, lemon and ginger.
• Vieux Carre Strong and sippable, it features whiskey, Cognac and vermouth.
• Alabama Slammer A retro highball cocktail full of fruity flavor.