Whisky Highball
the recipe to start with
Fill a tall glass completely with ice and stir for ten seconds to chill the glass. Discard the melted water.
Pour the whisky over the ice and stir five more times.
Fill the glass with ice-cold sparkling water. Pour it down the inside of the glass, then stir once from the bottom up.
Squeeze a lemon zest over the glass and serve immediately.
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Bourbon, rye, or Scotch
Bourbon is made from at least 51 percent corn. That gives it a sweet, full-bodied flavor with notes of vanilla. It’s always a good choice in an Old Fashioned, Whiskey Sour, or Mint Julep. Rye is made from rye. It’s drier and more peppery, and stands up better to sweet vermouth. That’s why rye has traditionally been used in a Manhattan and a Sazerac. Scotch varies the most. A smooth blend works in anything, but a smoky Islay turns a cocktail on its head. It’s a particularly good fit for a Penicillin or a Rusty Nail. One thing applies to all three. Don’t use whiskey you wouldn’t drink neat, but save your most expensive bottle for drinking neat.
The right glass
Broadly speaking, there are two types of whiskey cocktails. Strong, stirred drinks without a mixer, such as an Old Fashioned, Manhattan, and Rusty Nail, go in a low, wide whiskey glass of 30 to 38 cl with a thick base. There’s room for one large ice cube, and the wide opening lets you smell what you’re drinking. A long drink like a highball calls for a tall, narrow glass that keeps the bubbles in. Choose heavy glass. With whiskey, you feel the weight in your hand, and that’s just as much a part of drinking it as the taste.
Onis Icon Tumbler 35 cl (6 pieces)
RCR Etna Tumbler 33 cl (6 pieces)
Together € 68,90.
The right tool
For whiskey cocktails, in addition to the glass, use a mixing glass, a bar spoon for stirring, a jigger for precise measuring, a Julep strainer, and large ice cubes. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
The strainer that goes with a mixing glass
Glass set (our pick 01) + 5 bar tools together € 109,70.
What do you need to make these whiskey cocktails?
You need the right base for these whiskey cocktails. Well-known bottles include The Macallan and Laphroaig. On each liquor page, you can read about its alcohol percentage, flavor, which cocktails it pairs with, and which glass you need.
Twelve whiskey cocktails
Frequently asked questions
Which glass should you use for whiskey cocktails?
For stirred cocktails, use a whiskey glass or tumbler of 30 to 38 cl; for a highball, use a tall glass. Take a look at our whiskey glasses.
Whisky or whiskey: what's the difference?
It's just the spelling, and it tells you where it comes from. In Scotland and Japan, they spell it whisky; in Ireland and the United States, whiskey. You'll see both in cocktail recipes.
Should you use expensive whiskey in cocktails?
No. A good mid-range bottle for around thirty euros is perfectly fine. With sugar, bitters, and citrus, you won't taste the subtleties of an expensive single malt anyway.
Why stir whiskey cocktails instead of shaking them?
If there's no juice or egg, stir it. This chills the drink without adding air, keeping it clear and silky smooth. Shaking makes it cloudy and frothy.
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