One of the most famous long drinks in the world now is the Whisky Highball. A refreshing combination of whisky and club soda (carbonated water) that can make a humid evening a little more refreshing and approachable.
The joy of this drink is that you’ll only need three ingredients for this. Your whisky of choice, a can or bottle of club soda, and some ice! It is honestly that simple. But which whisky should you use? Well, I am a huge fan of using Japanese whisky in a Highball. So, today I have put together a selection of the best Japanese whiskies for a perfect Whisky Highball.
How To Make A Whisky Highball
- Pour 2oz of your preferred whisky into your glass of choice.
- Top up your glass with club soda, but do leave enough room for some ice
- Add ice and stir. Done!
- You can add a garnish if you like.
Yamazaki 12 Year Old, 43% ABV
BUY NOW: $175
Hailing from the oldest whisky distillery in Japan, it is impossible to ignore how tasty Yamazaki 12 is. I tried it again for the first time in a few years the other day, and it annoyed me at how tasty it was.
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It is expensive for a 12 year old whisky, but I do think it is much better liquid than most other ‘premium’ single malts on sale.
Layered with all of these stunning peach, orange and soft spice notes, the finish goes on for days – which is very impressive for something only bottled at 43%.
Try this in a Whisky Highball with a garnish of orange peel and let those wonderfully fruity, delicate, and oddly long flavour profiles dwell over your palate.
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Fuji Single Malt, 46% ABV
BUY NOW: $86
It is only recently that I have had the opportunity to try this range of whisky from the Fuji Gotemba Distillery. The single malt is a bourbon cask and Kirin beer cask matured liquid that offers some very different flavor profiles.
The beer cask finish takes things into an almost industrial route. The smell is all fruit tarts and caramel, try the single grain release if you want even more sweetness. But the finish on this is where things get fun.
It sits in the realms of Ben Nevis/Springbank funkiness that in a longer drink can be examined in much greater detail. A whisky that really makes you think about what you’re tasting.
Toki Blended Whisky, 40% ABV
BUY NOW: $41
With the majority of this blend being whiskies from Chita and Hakushu, think of Toki as the opposite in style to Hibiki. Where Hibiki has Yamazaki as a core part of it, the Hakushu malt elements and the Chita grain style culminate for a very minty, cucumber, fresh basil flavour profile to this. It’s budget friendly, widely available and is a great first Japanese whisky for all.
Hatozaki 12 Year Old, 46% ABV
BUY NOW: $86
Now, Yamazaki may be the oldest whisky distillery in Japan, but Hatozaki is the oldest producer of alcohol, mainly beer, dating back to 1917.
This expression allows you to experience Japanese whisky and another famous Japanese product, Umeshu. This liquid is finished in Umeshu plum liquor casks that give this wonderful baked fruit note to the end of it.
Mixed long with a garnish of charred plum or fresh mint, this whisky makes the perfect Whisky Highball.
Yoichi Single Malt, 45% ABV
BUY NOW: $87
It’s time to talk about peat! Yoichi was the passion project of Masataka Taketsuru who decided to split with the head of Yamazaki and set up his own distillery on Hokkaido. An island in the north of Japan that reminded him of Scotland where he studied a few whisky distilleries.
Yoichi is the only ‘heavily peated’ Japanese single malt you can really put your hands on across the world, and it has an approach to smoke that is in between Talisker and Caol Ila. It is smoky, but it tends to go more culinary smoke, rather than medicinal, like some of its Scottish counterparts.
In a Whisky Highball with a fresh lemon garnish, it adds a whole different level to the depths that Japanese whisky ca have, especially with some peat.
The History of The Whisky Highball
The Whisky Highball is a simple yet iconic cocktail that has its origins in the late 19th century, a time when carbonated drinks were becoming popular. Its name likely derives from the American railway term “highball,” which signified a train running at full speed. The drink itself, however, traces its roots to a whisky and soda combination that became fashionable among the upper classes in Britain and the United States during the 1890s.
In Japan, the Whisky Highball gained significant popularity during the 1950s. Japanese distillers, including the famous Suntory, promoted the drink as a way to enjoy whisky in a more approachable and casual manner. With its light, refreshing nature, it became a popular alternative to more robust whisky cocktails, particularly in social settings.
The Whisky Highball experienced a resurgence in the 21st century, especially as whisky appreciation grew globally. Its simplicity, typically just whisky and soda water over ice, allows the character of the whisky to shine while offering a refreshing, low-alcohol option. In Japan, dedicated Highball machines in bars ensure the perfect balance of carbonation, contributing to the drink’s continued appeal.
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