Recipe notes
🌿 Tips for a perfect Matcha Highball
Use large ice cubes
The larger the ice cubes, the slower they melt: your cocktail stays fresh without being diluted too quickly.
Pour in the sparkling water last.
Add it gently, running it along a spoon or the rim of the glass, to preserve its effervescence.
Choose a good matcha
A matcha of average to superior quality (culinary or usucha) is sufficient. Too bitter or too low-grade, it will unbalance the cocktail.
Prepare matcha separately
Always dissolve the matcha in hot water before adding it to the glass: this prevents lumps and ensures a beautiful texture.
Chill your ingredients
The fresher everything is (whisky, sparkling water, glass), the cleaner, crisper and more refreshing the cocktail will be.
Vary the whiskies
Try a peated whisky, a floral blend or a vanilla bourbon: each profile alters the balance of the cocktail.
Highball trivia
A Japanese classic inspired by the West
Highball originated in Scotland and the USA in the late 19th century, but it was in Japan that it became an art form in its own right. The Japanese have adopted and perfected it to the point of making it a bar ritual in its own right.
The signature drink of the izakaya
In Japanese bars and brasseries (izakaya), Highball whisky is omnipresent. Light and unsweetened, it's the perfect accompaniment to savory bites such as karaage, yakitori and edamame...
The cult of precision
In certain specialized Japanese bars, the bartender prepares the Highball with extreme care: measured temperature, hand-cut ice cubes, homemade carbonation... a real spectacle.
A strategic choice of distilleries
SuntoryVendor the famous Hibiki or Toki) has widely popularized the Highball to make whisky more accessible to the general public. The result: a simple yet elegant cocktail culture.
Matcha Highball: a contemporary touch
This variant was born in creative bars blending tradition and innovation. The vegetal bitterness of matcha blends surprisingly well with the woody or malty notes of whisky, creating an original balance, perfect for summer.
