For those new to the drink, a whiskey highball is a highball cocktail made with whiskey, ice, and sparkling water. While it’s often made with soda water, you can make it with your favorite sparkling water. Seltzer, mineral water, whatever.
All highball cocktails are constructed in a tall highball or Collins glass (or pint glass if that’s all you have on hand) with a base spirit (in this case whiskey), ice, and a mixer (sometimes soda). For example, our editors have been loving a highball inspired by a recent trip to Kyoto: whisky, soda, yuzu and lemon. But there are endless iterations—read on for more inspiration.
What Is the History of the Whiskey Highball?
Like with many drinks, it’s tough to find the whiskey highball’s genesis. There are signs that a version of the drink was imbibed as early as the 19th century. But it really gained in popularity in the 20th century.
The drink can be traced back to England in the 1880s. This was when purportedly an American-born actor named E.J. Ratcliffe asked a bartender to make him a drink that was simply made with Scotch and soda water. In 1895, a British bartender named C.F. Lawlor created a drink called the “Splificator” that featured whisky, ice, and water. On top of that, Tommy Dewar (of Dewar’s whisky fame) claims to have created the whisky highball in the late 1800s.
Another story takes us to the United States. In the 1890s, a New York City–based bartender named Patrick Gavin Duffy claimed to make the first Scotch-whisky-based highball at Ashland House.
And regardless of who actually invented it and while its popularity waned through the years, there’s no debating the drink’s impact in Japan. First introduced in the country in the 1920s, it didn’t gain in popularity until after World War II. In the 1950s, well-known whisky brand Suntory added to the drink’s cultural footprint by opening highball bars that even featured a machine to make perfect highballs. Even today, the whisky highball is one of the most popular drinks in Japan.
The Best Scotch Whiskies to Add to a Highball
While you can’t go wrong with Japanese whisky, bourbon, Canadian whisky, or even Irish whiskey as the base for your whisk(e)y highball, many drinkers prefer to use Scotch whisky. Sure, you can use your favorite expensive single malt Scotch if you like. But you’d be better off using a well-made blended Scotch whisky or a less expensive single malt Scotch whisky. Fear not, you don’t have to find these whiskies yourself. Below, you’ll find the best Scotch whiskies to add to an end-of-the-summer whisky highball.
Dewar’s 12 Year
If you’re looking for a value-priced blended Scotch whisky to mix into a highball, you can do much worse than Dewar’s. Specifically, Dewar’s 12. This highly-rated, award-winning expression is a blend of whiskies doubled aged in first-fill bourbon barrels. The result is a highly mixable whisky that’s perfectly paired with sparkling water thanks to flavors of orchard fruits, candied orange peels, vanilla beans, toffee, and light floral notes.
Buy: $31.99
Glenmorangie The Original 10
If you were to ask Scotch whisky aficionados to tell you their can’t-miss beginner single malt Scotch whiskies and you’d get a lot of people who will point you directly to Glenmorangie The Original 10. First distilled over 175 years ago, the famed Scottish distillery’s flagship expression is first distilled in the brand’s famous “giraffe-high” stills before maturing for a full ten years in ex-bourbon barrels. This creates a whisky well-suited as the base for a summery highball thanks to notes of sticky toffee, vanilla, ripe orchard fruit, honeysuckle, and candied orange peel.
Buy: $38.99
Chivas Regal 12
There are a surprising number of well-made blended Scotch whiskies perfect for an end-of-summer whisky highball. One of the best is Chivas Regal 12. This popular expression is a blend of malt and grain whiskies from all over Scotland (with an emphasis on Speyside). All included whiskies were matured for a minimum of twelve full years. The result is a complex, memorable whisky with notes of stone fruits, heather, honey, vanilla beans, candied nuts, and light floral notes. Chivas Regal is a great brand to get acquainted with. Once you try this expression, you’ll want to level up to the more mature selections from this notable brand.
Buy: $36.99
Glenlivet 12
If you have only a minimal knowledge of Scotch whisky, you’ve probably heard of Glenlivet. Its 12-year-old single malt whisky expression is a great choice for whisky highballs. This surprisingly affordable single malt is matured for a full twelve years, mostly in traditional oak with a shorter time in American oak. It's well-known for its nose of tropical fruits, caramelized pineapple, vanilla, and spices, and a palate of ripe pears, stone fruit, toffee, vanilla beans, hazelnuts, and gentle oak. This is the kind of expression you’ll want to stock in perpetuity on your home bar for mixing and sipping neat.
Buy: $59.99
Johnnie Walker Black Label
There aren’t many blended Scotch whiskies more famous than Johnnie Walker. And while the brand has a whole line of Scotch whiskies that gradually get more refined and expensive, Johnnie Walker Black Label is a must-have for whisky highball drinkers. This value whisky is a blend of single malt and grain whiskies that are all matured for a minimum of twelve full years. The result is a highly complex, sippable, and mixable whisky with notes of sweet vanilla beans, dried fruits, candied orange peels, peaches, heather, honey, and a gentle wisp of campfire smoke.
Buy: $33.99
Aberfeldy 12
Regardless of whether or not you’re mixing up whisky highballs, Aberfeldy 12 is a single malt whisky that deserves a permanent spot on your bar cart or in your liquor cabinet. Distilled in copper pot stills, it’s matured for at least twelve years in handmade oak barrels. This results in a full-flavored, balanced, highly complex whisky. Great for sipping neat or mixing, it’s known for its flavors of honey, dried fruits, chocolate fudge, toasted vanilla beans, butterscotch, and just a hint of rich smoke. This is a truly memorable single malt whisky that needs to be tasted to be believed.
Buy: $37.99
Laphroaig 10
The Inner Hebrides island of Islay is well-known for its smoky, medicinal, briny, sweet single malt whiskies. One of the best beginner peat-smoked whiskies is Laphroaig 10. Made with a mash of peat-smoked barley, it’s matured for ten years in ex-bourbon barrels. A great choice to add a smoky element to your end-of-summer highball, this award-winning expression is known for its flavors of salted caramel, ocean brine, iodine, butterscotch, vanilla, dried fruits, and robust peat smoke. It’s a great gateway into the world of peat-smoked whiskies and one that you’ll crave immediately after your last sip.
Buy: $49.99
