Bourbon Highball
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What is Bourbon Highball?
The Bourbon Highball is one of the most refreshingly simple classic cocktails in bar history, following the timeless highball template that dates back to the late 19th century. The highball format itself is widely credited to Chicago bartender Patrick "Patsy" Duffy, who claimed to have popularized the drink at New York's Adams House hotel bar in the 1890s using the classic template of spirit-plus-soda-water. The term "highball" reportedly comes from railroad culture, where "high ball" signaled a train to proceed at full speed, which railroad-frequenting bar patrons adopted as slang for a quickly-served drink. The Bourbon Highball specifically substitutes American bourbon whiskey for the Scotch whisky more commonly used in the original highball, creating a distinctly American variation that showcases bourbon's characteristic caramel, vanilla, and oak notes. The bourbon highball has undergone dramatic cultural evolution through Japanese drinking culture, where the "Suntory Highball" (bourbon and soda served in tall glasses with plenty of ice) became a defining post-work cocktail across Japan through the 2000s and 2010s, sparking a global highball renaissance. The cocktail belongs to the same family of classic highball drinks as the Scotch Highball, the Japanese Highball, the Whiskey Ginger, and the Presbyterian, all of which celebrate the elegant simplicity of spirit-plus-carbonation.
Don't forget to see what other drinks you can make with the ingredients you already have in your bar.
Why You'll Love It?
- Two ingredients, endless variations: the classic Bourbon Highball is one of the most forgiving cocktails to master, and once you have the technique down, you can experiment with different bourbons, mixers, and garnishes endlessly.
- Master the Suntory Japanese technique: chill the glass, fill completely with fresh ice, stir 13 and a half times (the traditional Suntory number), then add cold club soda down the side to preserve maximum carbonation.
- Bourbon quality genuinely shines through: use Buffalo Trace, Maker's Mark, Woodford Reserve, Four Roses, or Wild Turkey 101 because the neutral club soda lets the whiskey character define the entire drink.
- Perfect session cocktail: light enough for extended drinking, sophisticated enough for classic cocktail service, and refreshing enough for warm weather entertaining.
- Easy variations: use ginger ale for a Bourbon Presbyterian, add a dash of bitters for a Bourbon Buck, or use mineral water and precisely cut ice for the authentic Suntory Highball presentation.
Ingredients for Bourbon Highball
| My Bar | |
|---|---|
| 2 oz bourbon | ✘ |
| 4 oz club soda (buy) | ✘ |
| change measure > | |
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Step‑by‑Step Instructions
- Fill a chilled highball glass completely with fresh ice.
- Pour the bourbon over the ice.
- Slowly top with chilled club soda.
- Give the drink one gentle stir to combine without losing carbonation.
- Garnish with a lemon twist or lemon wheel.
