Highballs consisting of only two ingredients are ubiquitous. These soda and spirit combinations have become a staple in both bars and households, as they can be effortlessly crafted directly in the glass and requested at any venue. Popular examples include the timeless Gin & Tonic, Vodka Soda, and Rum & Coke. However, due to the growing fascination with traditional and low-alcohol cocktails, mixologists have ingeniously devised unconventional highball recipes and enhanced classic combinations.
Choosing commercial sodas may seem contrary to the current trend of emphasizing fresh fruit and herbs in the industry. However, this choice not only offers delightful flavor combinations but also brings awareness to spirits that otherwise wouldn’t be tried. Sometimes, the simplest is the best.
Highballs offer a delightful opportunity for exploration. Discover the perfect ratios that satisfy your taste buds. Should you desire a beverage that is less sweet or contains less sugar, consider substituting HFCS sodas such as Coca-Cola, 7-up, and Dr. Pepper with the refreshing GuS sodas or Fever Tree. These alternatives are an ideal choice to enhance your soda and spirit combinations without the added sugars.
1. Rum & Coke
The 100-year-old classic Rum and Coke with lime is a simple three-ingredient highball with white rum, cola and a squeeze of lime. Known as the Cuba Libre, meaning “Free Cuba,” it hails from early 1900s Havana as a drink to toast to the freedom of Cuba.
2. 7 & 7
The cult favorite of two-ingredient highballs, the 7 & 7 is effortlessly crafted within the glass using Seagrams Seven Crown Whiskey and 7-up. This timeless classic has remained a cherished favorite since the 1970s.
3. Fernet & Coke
Fernet Branca and cola combine to create Argentina’s renowned national beverage. This unlikely blend of the herbaceous Italian amaro enhances the spiciness of the cola, resulting in a uniquely flavored, low-alcohol cocktail reminiscent of black licorice. With its digestive properties, Fernet Branca mixed with cola is the perfect choice for a satisfying post-meal drink.
4. Red Wine & Ginger Beer
W. C. Whitfield’s original Kitty Highball recipe is a quick-to-make low-ABV cocktail, and is traditionally equal parts red wine and ginger ale. It’s a great way to spice up a less than palatable wine. Modern adaptions use ginger syrup and soda water for a more elevated take, but both result in a fresh, slightly gingery wine cocktail with the right amount of bubbles from soda.
5. Cognac & Dr. Pepper
Cognac and Dr. Pepper complement each other flawlessly, combining Dr. Pepper’s delightful sweetness with the intriguing peppery notes and subtle touch of vanilla from Cognac. When these two exceptional flavors unite, they create a truly bold and captivating highball that effortlessly balances sweetness and spice.
6. Calvados & Tonic
The Calvados & Tonic, a popular beverage in Normandy, offers a French twist on the classic G&T. This delightful concoction combines the invigorating crispness of apple brandy with the refreshing sweetness and subtle bitterness of tonic. Crafted directly in the glass with generous amounts of ice and a substantial pour of tonic, it is then perfected with a delicate lemon twist. Not only does this beverage provide a quick revitalization, but it also serves as a delightful departure from the typical selection of highballs.
7. Mountain Dew & Suze
Sother Teague’s creation of an unconventional pairing between the French genetian liqueur Suze and Mountain Dew gained widespread attention. This “oddball highball” gained new heights as the herbal and bitter notes of Suze complement the citrus-sweet flavors of Mountain Dew. Intriguingly, when Mountain Dew was formed in the 1940s it was intended to be used as a mixer in cocktails.
8. Root Beer & Absinthe
Combining absinthe with root beer produces a harmonious beverage with a peculiar highball effect. The sarsaparilla in root beer and the anise in absinthe complement each other, resulting in a well-balanced concoction. Root beer, after all can be likened to a non-alcoholic amaro, boasting a rich and intricate profile infused with sarsaparilla and other botanicals.
9. Fanta & Mezcal
Mezcal has traditionally paired harmoniously with vibrant citrus. To craft a swift and low-ABV libation, the luscious sweetness of Orange Fanta finds balance through the rustic and smoky notes of mezcal, resulting in a two-component highball that is both pleasantly surprising and delectable. For an augmented complexity, a touch of bitters or a splash of bittersweet Campari can be incorporated.
10. Grapefruit Soda & Tequila
Love two ingredient drinks, Cognac and dr. Pepper would not be my first choice but now I wanna try that out 🙂