If you're looking for a refreshingly light whisky drink that can pair well with almost any Japanese food, then look no further than this Toki Highball recipe!

Jump to:

• 🥃What is a Japanese Highball?
• 💖Why You'll Love this Recipe
• 🧊Key Ingredients
• 🪄Tips and Tricks
• ✍️Final Thoughts
• 🤔Common Questions

🥃What is a Japanese Highball?

A highball simply refers to a cocktail consisting of a spirit (whisky, gin, vodka, etc.) and some sort of carbonated beverage (such as soda water, tonic, coke, etc.). But the Japanese highball specifically calls for whisky and soda water.

Now, you might be thinking; "Isn't that just a whisky soda"? Well, yes, and no. The ingredients may be the same, however the process of making it involves much more attention to detail and well, let's just call it... art.

If you've ever sat at a Japanese cocktail bar, you've might've seen the bartender spend up to five minutes making a simple three-ingredient cocktail (one of those being ice). A drink that would normally take less than 30 seconds to make here in the States, is meticulously crafted with the upmost attention to detail. It’s truly an art form and a performance that makes you appreciate the drink even more.

💖Why You'll Love this Recipe

There are many reasons to love this recipe but here are some of my favorites:

• Customizable: Japanese whiskies such as Suntory Toki is often used to make Japanese highballs but you can use whatever whisky you prefer. Try experimenting and see what combination you like best!
• Simple: Although Japanese cocktail bars often make these drinks with the upmost precision and level of detail, at the end of the day, it is still just two main ingredients. Not to mention, very easy-to-find ingredients.
• Affordable: Now, of course you can use high-end whiskies that cost a fortune, but there's really no need to. Save those to enjoy on it's own and use a budget-friendly bottle such as Suntory Toki.
• Refreshing: Think of it like a beer but the whisky version. It's light and pairs nicely with a variety of foods, which is why it's such a popular drink at Japanese izakayas (pubs).

🧊Key Ingredients

• Whisky: A blended whisky such as Toki from Suntory is perfect for highballs.
• Club Soda: Try to find premium soda such as Fever-Tree Club Soda. You can also use tonic instead (Fever-Tree Mediterranean is my favorite). Although, technically it wouldn't be a Japanese highball unless it's club soda, but I enjoy both!
• Ice: This is where the biggest difference is between American dive bar whiskey sodas and Japanese highballs. While there's nothing wrong with using regular cubed ice from the freezer, to really take it to the next level, you're going to want to use large clear ice. Whether that's cubes or a block shaved down to the size of the glass, that's up to you (and how dedicated you are to making this drink). I have a clear ice mold that works really well and I use it all the time for my cocktails.

🪄Tips and Tricks

• Chill: We want this drink to be cold as possible so chilling the glass, soda, and whisky (which is the only one I don't leave in the fridge/freezer) is important. I make sure the club soda is fully chilled and leave the glass in the freezer to let it frost. You can also stir the ice in the glass to chill it if you don't have time. The whisky is chilled by stirring it with the ice before adding the soda.
• Barspoon: Make sure to have a barspoon ready, especially if you're using a taller highball glass. Regular spoons make it very difficult to stir.
• Garnish: I like to add a simple lemon twist to mine but you can use other citrus such as lime, orange, or grapefruit. They all add a hint of zest, aroma, and flavor.

✍️Final Thoughts

Now I may not have all the special supplies and perfectly shaped ice blocks but here is my version of the Japanese highball (Note: I like mine a bit stronger than the typical but you can adjust the ratio to your liking). It's refreshing, light, and simple enough to drink on any occasion while also pairing beautifully with a variety of Japanese cuisine. Enjoy!

🤔Common Questions