A highball is a seemingly simple cocktail that showcases the quality of your ingredients - the whisky, the mixer, the ice and the citrus. Tokyo bartenders have turned this classic into an art form, prepared with precision and focus, but, with the right recipe, it’s easy enough to make at home.
In our take, the sweet cereal note of the whisky is balanced by the exquisite salinity of Vichy Catalan. While we have a recommendation below, the ratio of spirit to water is up to you.
A CLASSIC HIGHBALL
Makes one
30ml Nikka Coffey whisky
100ml Vichy Catalan mineral water
Fresh yuzu
Navy Strength ice blocks
The technique
Fill a highball glass generously with ice. Next, pour a measure of Nikka Coffey whisky over the ice and top with the Vichy Catalan mineral water. The trick here is to not pour the water directly onto the ice, keeping the cocktail spritzed. Express yuzu rind over the glass and enjoy.
HIGHBALL WITH A TWIST
Makes one
30ml Nikka Coffey whisky
100ml Vichy Catalan mineral water
15ml Mount Zero verjus
Navy Strength ice blocks
The technique
Fill a highball glass generously with ice. Next, pour a measure of Nikka Coffey whisky over the ice and top with the Vichy Catalan mineral water. The trick here is to not pour the water directly onto the ice, keeping the cocktail spritzed. Add the verjus, top with a wedge of lemon and glass and enjoy.