How to Make
the Perfect Whisky Highball

The highball is one of the world’s most popular ways to enjoy whisky, and one of the simplest. At its heart it is just a spirit lengthened with a larger pour of a carbonated mixer over plenty of ice in a tall glass. Whisky and soda is the classic and by far the most popular version, though the same glass takes ginger ale, tonic or lemonade just as happily. Today it is enjoyed everywhere, from izakayas in Japan, where it is a default order and often served on tap, to cocktail bars and home kitchens around the world. It is the easy, long and sociable way to drink whisky, as good before dinner as it is late into a summer evening.

The highball has been part of the DEWAR’S story since the 1890s. Poured well, it is bright, long and endlessly adaptable.

The whisky you choose is what makes it, and this is where DEWAR’S comes into its own. DEWAR’S blends are built from up to 30 single malt and grain whiskies, brought together by seven-time World’s Best Master Blender Stephanie Macleod, with a house signature of fresh citrus and sweet honey. That character carries through the soda rather than thinning out, with enough behind it to stay interesting glass after glass. For a long serve, DEWAR’S 12 Year Old and DEWAR’S 15 Year Old are the ones to reach for.

The five things that make a great highball.

  • Cold.

    Start cold and stay cold. Chill the whisky if you can, use soda straight from the fridge, and chill the glass first. A warm glass melts your ice and flattens the serve before you have taken a sip.

  • Carbonation

    The bubbles are the whole point, and cold is what keeps them. The colder the soda, the more fizz it holds and the slower it lets go, so keep it in the fridge until the moment you build, and open it fresh.

  • Ice.

    Fill the glass with plenty of good, clear cubed ice, right to the top. It sounds back to front, but more ice is better: it keeps the drink colder and slows dilution, so it stays crisp for longer rather than watering down. A half-filled glass is what makes a highball weak.

  • Ratio.

    The house build is one part DEWAR’S to three parts soda, but it is yours to flex. Add more soda for a longer, lighter serve, or a touch less for something more whisky-forward. Taste it and adjust.

  • Build.

    Order matters, and it matters more the moment you add anything beyond soda. Start with the still ingredients: the whisky, plus any citrus, sugar syrup or bitters, over ice, and stir to combine and chill them, since these need a little mixing to blend in and dilute evenly. Add the soda last, pouring it gently down the side of the glass or over the back of a spoon to protect the bubbles, then stir just once, gently, from the bottom. Anything fizzy goes in at the end, because every stir after it drives the bubbles out, so you want the mixing done before the soda arrives.

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A SIMPLE CLASSIC HIGHBALL RECIPE

A Highball is the simplest of long drinks: whisky lengthened with soda over plenty of ice. There is nowhere to hide, so temperature and carbonation do the work.

Chill the glass first, then fill it right to the top with cubed ice. Pour the whisky over, roughly one part to three parts soda, and add the soda slowly down the side of the glass so the bubbles hold. One gentle stir is all it needs, lifting the ice from the bottom rather than swirling it. Finish with a lemon twist, or leave it clean.

DEWAR’S 12 Year Old brings bright honeyed character, while DEWAR’S 15 Year Old adds deeper, more layered honeyed and floral notes. From there, make it your own: experiment with different citrus, a dash of bitters or a splash of a favourite liqueur, or keep it clean with no garnish at all.

MAKE YOUR OWN

CLASSIC HIGHBALL

  • 50 ml DEWAR'S 12 Year Old, or DEWAR'S 15 Year Old to elevate it
  • 150 ml chilled soda water
  • LEMON WEDGE
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Quick fixes for a better highball

Why is my highball flat?

The soda was opened too early or stirred too hard. Open it fresh and stir just once.

Why is my highball watery?

Not enough ice, or the glass and mixers were warm going in. Fill the glass to the top and keep everything cold.

Why does my highball get warm so fast?

A warm glass or a slow build. Chill the glass, build quickly, and serve straight away.

Two more long serves to try

The highball is a great blueprint. Once you have the method, cold, ice and good soda carry into other long drinks. Here are two worth knowing.

WHISKY COLLINS

A Whisky Collins is a tall, citrus cooler: whisky lengthened with fresh lemon, a little sugar and soda. Bright and easy, it is the natural crowd-pleaser of the two.

For the best texture, shake the whisky, lemon and sugar syrup with cubed ice, then strain into a highball filled with fresh cubed ice and top with soda. Short on time? A Collins is forgiving, so you can build it straight in the glass over plenty of ice, add the soda and give it a gentle stir. Finish by squeezing the zest of a lemon peel over the top.

MAKE YOUR OWN

Whisky Collins

  • 50 ml DEWAR'S 12 Year Old
  • 25 ml fresh lemon juice
  • 15 ml sugar syrup
  • Soda water, to top
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HIGHLAND SPRITZ

The Highland Spritz is an Italian-inspired aperitif serve: whisky with sweet vermouth and a bitter liqueur, long over ice. Bittersweet and grown-up, it is the one to reach for before dinner, or a great summer serve.

Build over cubed ice in a highball, top with soda water, and stir gently. Garnish with an orange twist. The honeyed and floral character of the 15 Year Old stands up to the vermouth and bitter.

MAKE YOUR OWN

Highland Spritz

  • 50 ml DEWAR'S 15 Year Old
  • 25 ml sweet vermouth
  • 25 ml bitter aperitif liqueur
  • Soda water, to top
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WHISKY HIGHBALL FAQS

What is the best whisky for a highball?

A versatile blended Scotch works best, since it needs to carry through the soda without thinning out. DEWAR’S 12 Year Old is an ideal all-rounder, with DEWAR’S 15 Year Old to elevate it.

What is the right whisky to soda ratio?

The house build is one part whisky to three parts soda. Adjust to taste: more soda for a lighter, longer serve, less for something more whisky-forward.

Can you make a highball without soda?

Yes. Soda is the classic mixer, but ginger ale, tonic or lemonade all work well over ice, and it is still a highball.

What glass should you use for a highball?

A tall highball glass, chilled, filled to the top with cubed ice.

Why are whisky highballs so popular?

They are long, easy to make and easy to enjoy. Japan’s whisky and soda culture brought the style back into fashion, and it is now a staple in bars and at home around the world.

Explore more DEWAR’S serves . Ready to pour? Find DEWAR’S 12 Year Old and DEWAR’S 15 Year Old to make your own.