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Let your true colours shine through in easy-to-make, eye-catching cocktails that taste just as good as they look, thanks to unique spirits, unexpected mixers and a pared-down ingredient list.

Drink trends come and go, but the Highball is timeless. It’s easy to see why, since this straightforward long drink is simple, unfussy and way better at quenching a thirst than most fancy cocktails. That doesn’t mean the Highball has to be basic, though. There’s an art to crafting a perfectly balanced mixed drink, especially when playing around with all the exciting new options for mixers and spirits available these days. Try some colourful new combinations this summer.


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Scandi Mule

Try a refreshing Highball that’s got it all—herbs, spice and just the right amount of sweetness to bring it all together.

Did You Know?
In Japan, where the Highball is said to have been perfected, bartenders stir the spirit over “slab ice” (a fancy rectangular cube that’s almost as tall as the glass) 13 times always clockwise. After the mix is added, the drink is then stirred again, counter-clockwise, three times. Try it!


Reach for the Pop!

All limits are off, thanks to the recent explosion of new mixers and craft sodas inspiring colourful new takes on the classic Highball.

After a decade of celebrating minimalist drinks served in antique stemware, the world’s best cocktail bars have started to pay special attention to the long drink. New options in carbonated mixers, from old-timey soda-shop flavours to fresh craft sodas, have bartenders thinking of ways to use the classic formula to build drinks way beyond that old favourite Rye and Ginger.



Soda Milano

It might sound like an odd mix, but the Campari and cream soda in this highball are the perfect combination of nostalgia and contemporary flavour trends.

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Bonus drinks!

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While 3 oz of Fever-Tree’s Sparkling Pink Grapefruit mixes well with just about anything, it’s pure magic with 1½ oz Tanqueray Dry Gin and ½ oz fresh lime juice.

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In Mexico, pomegranate and tequila cocktails are everywhere. Make one at home by mixing 1½ oz Hornitos Reposado Tequila with 4 oz pomegranate soda. Top it off with 1 oz Sprite, 7UP or another lemon-lime soda.


Lowball Highballs

Europe’s answer to the Highball sees spirits swapped out for loweralcohol aperitifs for even more refreshment per ounce.

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The Cascadian

A little lower-alcohol than most Highballs, this drink gets a citrus lift from hop water, a versatile ingredient that’s going to have a big impact on the cocktail world.

The secret to a great Highball is all in the chill. Keep the mix in the fridge and chill both the glass and spirit in the freezer for an hour before mixing up a frosty cold drink.


Bonus drinks!

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Instead of tonic, add 4 oz of any sparkling lemonade to 2 oz Fonseca White Port  for a light and tangy summer sparkler.

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Give Martini & Rossi Sweet Vermouth new life by mixing it with Clementina (or any Italian orange soda)—one part vermouth to two parts soda.


Oddball Highballs

When not drinking Malbec, Argentinians often enjoy famously bitter Fernet-Branca mixed with cola. Why? Believe it or not, it works. Odd combos are often the big winners when it comes to Highballs, although it can be a balancing act to find the right pairing.


Brandy Blossom

Inspired by soda shop treats and barista creations, this indulgent and creamy cherry Highball is an excellent way to wrap up a meal.

Some bars offer long drinks on tap, thanks to “Highball machines,” which pour icy-cold Whisky Sodas that are so perfectly carbonated they drink like champagne. In Japanese pubs, they’re usually served in frosty mugs to keep things chill and casual.

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Bonus drinks!

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Peaty scotch and kombucha sounds like an odd combo, but 1½ oz Bowmore 12 Year Old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky stirred over ice with 5 oz Tonica Blueberry Kombucha is a fresh spin on the standard Whisky Soda.

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Combine 1 oz Northern Keep Vodka with ¾ oz Chartreuse Green, ½ oz fresh lime and 4 oz Fever-Tree’s elderflower tonic water for a lively herbal refresher.