Refreshingly tangy: Japanese highball!

One drink that everyone in Japan really knows is the highball (ハイボール), which is served in every izakaya and is as much a part of Japan's drinking culture as Sake and Shochu.

In a highball, a spirit is mixed with a non-alcoholic, carbonated drink. In Japan, a highball is actually a synonym for a (Japanese) whisky with soda, whereby in common mixology outside Japan, a highball is a category in which various spirits - not just whisky - are mixed with carbonated fillers. The drink is always served in a large glass with plenty of ice. 

In Japan, the highball became popular shortly after the end of the Second World War and has been the most popular way to enjoy whisky there since the 1950s. At this time, restaurants were becoming more and more popular and the highball was a great new flavor for the Japanese, as well as being an ideal and light accompaniment to food.

To make a highball, fill a large highball glass with ice, pour in a third of the whisky and stir well. More ice is then added and the glass is topped up with soda. The highball is then stirred once more with a narrow bar spoon, but really only once. It is important to use a highly carbonated soda so that the drink really tastes good. Normal carbonated mineral water is not so suitable.

Torys Extra Whisky

The Torys Extra from Suntory is a blended whisky with a smooth body and a clear finish. This whisky is easy to drink, has a very good price-performance ratio and is ideal for a highball.