Classic cocktails are classics for a reason. Light, refreshing and endlessly riffable the highball is a staple in any home bartender’s repertoire. Tasty and easy to make the Bourbon Whiskey Highball may just be the most simple (and simply amazing) cocktail you can make.
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History of the Whiskey Highball
Like most classic cocktails the exact origins of the whiskey highball are unclear but drinks fitting the description date back to the late nineteenth century. Bartender Patrick Gavin Duffy (author of the 1934 book, the Original Mixer Book) lays claim to creating the first scotch highball in 1895 at New York’s Ashland House for actor E.J. Ratcliffe. The drink soon gained popularity in New York City and beyond.
Whiskey Highball Variations
The whiskey highball is not so much a recipe as it is a template. You can easily customize the highball to make any number of delicious cocktails.
- Use your favorite whiskey, bourbon, Japanese whiskey or scotch.
- Use ginger ale or ginger beer in place of the soda water.
- Add a 1/2 oz of lemon juice, lime juice or orange juice for a bright hit of citrus.
- Sprinkle a few dashes of your favorite bitters (I’m a fan of Scrappy’s Bitters) for a layer of complexity.
How to Make a Bourbon Highball
The bourbon highball is one of the simplest cocktails you can make at home. Take a highball glass and place some ice in it. Using a jigger add 2 oz of bourbon or whiskey (I would use a moderately priced bourbon or whiskey and save the high end stuff for drinking straight or a more spirit forward cocktail) and top with soda water.
If you like this Bourbon Whiskey Highball be sure to take a look at some of my other recipes!
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If you make this Bourbon Whiskey Highball please leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Pinterest for my latest recipes. Also, if you do make this recipe please tag me on Instagram, I’d love to see what you guys are making!
Bourbon Whiskey Highball
Equipment
- 1 highball glass
Ingredients
- 2 oz bourbon or your favorite whiskey or scotch
- 4 oz sparkling water or ginger ale or ginger beer
- ice
Instructions
- Place ice in a highball glass. Add in bourbon whiskey and top with sparkling water.
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nancy says
perfect weekend relaxing drink by the poolside! thanks
Andrea says
Yum! I want to try this with ginger beer. I love easy cocktails! Thanks for the recipe.
Allyssa says
Thanks for this idea, very helpful and easy to follow! Will have this again for sure!
Ann says
My husband is a whisky fan, so this drink sounds right up his alley! I will have to pass this recipe along to him! Thanks for the share!
Veronika says
I love a good simple cocktail and this was one was super easy to make with just two ingredients! Can’t wait to make this for a hot summer day when it gets warmer!