The Smartest Whisky Cocktail Is Also the Simplest

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A refreshing highball is proof that less really can taste like more.

It looks like the simplest serve in the world: whisky, mixer, ice, maybe a garnish. In practice the highball can become one of a brand or bar’s most distinctive signatures, a low-lift serve that welcomes new drinkers while still satisfying seasoned enthusiasts.

A Classic, Reborn

The highball has been around since the late 1800s, when whisky met soda water in a tall glass and found a permanent place in pubs and parlours. For decades it was a humble way to lighten strong spirits; refreshing, sure, but hardly glamorous. Fast forward to today, and the highball has re-emerged as a global favourite, elevated to cult status by Japan’s whisky houses and embraced by bartenders everywhere as the crispest way to showcase a spirit.

Why the Highball Works

Whisky doesn’t suffer from an image problem so much as an access problem. Neat pours can feel intimidating, cocktails often bury the spirit, and for many newcomers the category seems unapproachable. Drinking habits have shifted too: lighter, longer, lower-ABV serves are in demand, with refreshment now as prized as complexity.

Enter the highball. With just whisky, bubbles, and ice, its simplicity becomes power. Unlike a Manhattan or an Old Fashioned, there’s no sugar-laden camouflage. The whisky stretches, sparkles, and stays the star. For brands, that means a serve that welcomes newcomers while still respecting the liquid. For drinkers, it’s an easy way to fall for whisky without needing a masterclass in barrel science first.

A house highball is easier to execute than a signature cocktail but just as powerful in shaping how people experience a whisky on a menu, in a tasting room, or across Instagram feeds.

The Japanese Blueprint

After World War II, it became the after-hours drink for salarymen, light enough for multiple rounds, bracing enough to cut through cigarette haze and long workdays.

But it didn’t stay basic. Japanese bartenders elevated the serve into ritual: glasses chilled to a frosty sheen, ice cut like sculpture, soda poured with precision to preserve every bubble. Even the first sip was often anchored in a toast or phrase — small cues that turned repetition into ceremony.

The highball thrived in Japan because it offered a refreshing alternative to beer and saké, pairing effortlessly with the country’s cuisine. Crisp enough for grilled skewers, subtle enough for delicate dishes, it fit seamlessly into everyday dining. What looks effortless is, in fact, carefully considered. And that blueprint of ritual plus refreshment has since inspired whisky brands worldwide to rethink what “approachability” can look like.

Spotlight: Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt Japanese Whisky

In Japan, the term ‘pure malt’ refers to whiskies made entirely from malted barley, often blended from multiple distilleries and sometimes including sourced liquid from abroad. Taketsuru, however, is distinctly homegrown.

Named for Masataka Taketsuru, the father of Japanese whisky, this blend brings together malts from Yoichi and Miyagikyo, two distilleries that embody Japan’s whisky duality: bold smoke and coastal brine on one side, silky orchard fruit and floral elegance on the other. The result is a whisky that’s complex enough to intrigue seasoned drinkers, yet balanced enough to remain utterly approachable.

In a highball, Taketsuru shows its versatility. The soda water teases out yellow apple, pear, and subtle citrus notes, brightens its malt sweetness, and lets a whisper of smoke linger just long enough to keep things interesting. A touch of nutty depth emerges mid-palate, giving the drink structure without weighing it down. At the classic 1:4 highball ratio, it’s all crisp refreshment. Move to 1:2 and the whisky starts to sing, balanced yet bolder. A 1:1 pour brings the flavour into full focus — approachable enough for newcomers, expressive enough for purists.

This adaptability also inspired the Kaju Highball, a serve that nods directly to Nikka’s origins. The company’s original name, Dai Nippon Kaju (“Great Japan Juice”), came from its start in apple juice and orchard spirits before whisky became its legacy. The Kaju Highball draws on that history by highlighting Taketsuru’s golden fruit character with apple cider, accented by bitters and lifted with soda. The cider amplifies the whisky’s orchard notes, while its gentle smoke adds depth and contrast, creating a drink that is both rooted in history and refreshingly modern.

The Takeaway

Highballs are not a fad. They are a cultural reset that gives brands a way to welcome new audiences without oversimplifying, and they give drinkers a way to experience whisky that is both accessible and elevated. Whether you are pouring Taketsuru or reaching for another bottle on your shelf, the highball is one of the most effective low-lift serves you can make. It can be distinctive, it can be ritualized, and it can be entirely your own. Explore our five-step process on the next page to see how a simple combination of bubbles, ice, and intent can become a signature serve.

Forget complicated cocktails. The highball reminds us that great drinks are built on a quality base spirit, intention, and flavour, not complexity for its own sake.