The Japanese Highball recipe
for your table
Chill the glass first and fill it with large, clear ice.
Pour the whisky over it and stir for 10 to 15 seconds to chill.
Add fresh ice until the glass is full and slowly pour in the soda along a bar spoon.
Stir exactly once from the bottom upward and serve immediately.
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The story
Whisky soda was already popular in 1950s Japan, when Suntory opened its Torys bars to promote its own whisky. After decades of declining whisky sales, Suntory launched a campaign in 2008 to bring back the highball as a beer substitute with meals, complete with special dispensing systems. It worked spectacularly: the 'haibōru' became a national craze and then conquered cocktail bars around the world, along with the reputation of Japanese whisky itself. The lesson: attention makes even the simplest drink special.
The right glass
For a Japanese Highball, you want a thin, tall, perfectly straight glass of 33 to 47 cl. The thin wall feels refined on the lips, while the straight shape keeps the carbonation in tight streams. Japanese bartenders swear by minimalist glasses without decoration: the clarity of the drink and ice is the whole point. Always place the glass in the freezer or refrigerator beforehand. If you also drink the same whisky neat or on the rocks, check out our whisky glasses.
Arcoroc Islande Long Drink Glass 33 cl (6 pieces)
Onis Icon Long Drink Glass 47 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets together € 51,90.
The right tools
For a Japanese Highball, in addition to the glass, you use a long bar spoon, a jigger for precise measuring, a zester for the twist, and long ice sticks. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you'll find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Stirrers fill a highball glass neatly
Glass set (our choice 01) + 4 bar tools together € 73,75.
What do you use to make a Japanese Highball?
For a Japanese Highball, you need Japanese whisky. Famous bottles include Monkey Shoulder and Nikka. On each drink page, you'll find the ABV, how it tastes, which cocktails it pairs with, and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
Every whisky makes a different highball: a blend stays light, a single malt adds depth, and bourbon adds sweetness. In Japan, there is also the Kaku highball, made with a slice of lemon. More important than the brand is the ritual: an ice-cold glass, clear ice, a slow pour, and one stir. Looking for more inspiration? Browse more than 100 cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
The ratio is sacred: 1 part whisky to approximately 2.5 parts soda. Use the largest, clearest ice you can make or buy; cloudy ice waters the drink down faster and looks less polished.
Good to know
The 1 to 2.5 ratio explained
Use 10 to 12 cl of ice-cold soda water for 4.5 cl of whisky, or approximately one part to two and a half. This intentionally uses less soda than a regular whisky soda, where one part to three or four is customary. At this ratio, the whisky remains clearly present without making the drink heavy. If you want it lighter with food, use 1 to 3, and for a stronger version, use 1 to 2. Measure with a bar measure rather than by feel, because with so few ingredients, a difference of half a centiliter is immediately noticeable.
How strong is a Japanese Highball
Expect around 11 percent in the glass. The 4.5 cl of 40 percent whisky provides 1.8 cl of pure alcohol, and with 11 cl of soda you get a glass of just over 15 cl. That is about one and a half standard drinks, comparable to a large glass of wine. Because the highball is so light and clean-tasting, it goes down more easily than you think, which is precisely why it is served in Japan as a beer substitute with food. Large, clear ice helps with this because it melts more slowly and dilutes the drink more gradually.
Highball or regular whisky soda
On paper, it’s the same drink; in practice, it isn’t. You pour a whisky soda casually over any ice, while the Japanese highball is a procedure. The glass goes in the freezer beforehand, the ice is large and clear, the whisky is stirred for 10 to 15 seconds to chill it, the soda is slowly poured down a bar spoon, and then it is stirred exactly once from bottom to top. The result is colder, less diluted, and much fizzier. The same two ingredients, a completely different glass.
Which Japanese whisky should you choose
Suntory Toki is the standard for this cocktail and also the most affordable: light, with green apple and a hint of honey. Nikka Days and Hibiki Harmony work just as well, although Hibiki is considerably more expensive than the highball warrants. Leave rye out here, as its peppery spiciness clashes with the carbonation, while a heavy Islay malt overpowers everything. If you do not have a Japanese bottle at home, a smooth Scotch blend or an Irish whiskey comes closest. Stick to 4.5 cl, whichever bottle you choose.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Japanese highball?
A Japanese highball is whisky with ice-cold soda water, made with almost ritual precision: a pre-chilled glass, large clear ice, 4.5 cl whisky, 10 to 12 cl soda poured down a bar spoon and stirred exactly once. The result is fresher and cleaner than an ordinary whisky soda.
What is the whisky-to-soda ratio in a highball?
One part whisky to about 2.5 parts soda, or 4.5 cl whisky to 10 to 12 cl soda water. If you want it lighter with food, go closer to 1 to 3. More important than the exact ratio is that both ingredients and the glass are ice-cold before you start.
Which whisky do you use for a Japanese highball?
A smooth Japanese blend is the classic choice because it is light and floral enough not to overpower the soda. A simple Scotch blend works almost as well and costs a fraction of the price. Save heavy, peated single malts for drinking neat.
Why is clear ice so important in a highball?
Large, clear ice melts more slowly and dilutes the highball less, keeping the carbonation crisp for longer and making the glass taste fresh until the last sip. Cloudy ice is full of air bubbles and breaks apart faster. A tall, thin glass also keeps the bubbles in check; see our highball glasses.
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