Food

Easy Whiskey Highball Cocktail Recipe

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Jun 15, 2024 • 1 min read

A highball is the ultimate grown-up drink: low-maintenance, elegantly proportioned, and fizzy enough to still be festive.

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What Is a Highball?

A highball refers to a variety of “tall” drinks containing one shot of a base spirit topped with a non-alcoholic mixer like soda water, sparkling water, or a classic ginger ale, served in a highball glass or a narrow Collins glass over ice. The perfect highball is mild and supremely drinkable, thanks to the spirit-to-soda ratio.

4 Easy Highball Variations

These happy hour staples can be found across cocktail menus. The simple combination of base spirit and mixer allows for endless variation.

  1. 1. Gin and tonic: An old fashioned classic with gin as the base spirit and tonic water as the mixer. Traditionally served with a lime wedge.
  2. 2. Paloma: Combines tequila with grapefruit soda. Learn how to make a Paloma cocktail here.
  3. 3. Rum and Coke: Base spirit rum paired with a classic soda.
  4. 4. Whiskey Ginger: The whiskey highball that combines whiskey with ginger ale. Scotch and soda water is an alternative.

Classic Whiskey Highball Recipe

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makes

1 cocktail

prep time

2 min

total time

2 min

Ingredients

  1. 1

    Pour base spirit into a tall glass filled with ice cubes.

  2. 2

    Top with ginger ale (or mixer of choice), and stir once or twice to combine.

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