The term 'highball' may have come from the American railroads (which developed rapidly between 1828 and 1873) but may also have English and/or Irish roots with the term "ball" being a common term for a glass of whiskey in Ireland and more specifically in golf club bars in late 19th century England, a term for a whisky served in a high glass. Tommy Dewar of the famous scotch whisky brand also laid claim to inventing the highball in an article published in 1905 in the Eveningstatesmen were he claimed to have discovered the "highball" 14 years earlier. "It came about in this way," he said today. "I was walking along Broadway with several friends when one of them asked me to go into a saloon and have a 'ball'. As I was in that humour myself I consented. When we made our wants known to the bartender, he places before us small whiskey glasses. "'Beastly small glasses', remarked my friend. "I suggested to the bartender that he give us high glasses so that my companion could have a 'highball', and thus he satisfied. He found the right kind of glasses and we had what I have been told was the first scotch 'highball'." The railroad connection

That means, in comparison to a Highball, the Lowball contains way less filler. It is supposed to be "spirit with a splash of filler". Since this simple, watered-down drink is currently not that fashionable, people tend to forget where the name originates. British coal-fired glass making led to the development of bottles that were strong enough to withstand the high pressure of carbonated drinks and this led to the first sparkling wine being produced in London around 1665 by adding yeast and sugar to imported French wine. (French sparkling wine production did not commence until the end of that century.) Then in his 1895 The Mixicologist Chris Lawlor of the Burnet House, Cincinnati includes a "High Ball" with the instruction "Put in a thin ale-glass one lump of ice; fill with syphon seltzer to within an inch of the top, then float one half jigger brandy or whiskey."Mix them together, and you’ve got a bubbly, refreshing mixed drink starring your favorite whiskey. If you’re a whiskey lover, you’ll prefer it with soda water. More great whiskey mixers? Go to What to Mix with Whiskey. Use soda water, ginger ale or ginger beer

Method: Build first six ingredients into a chilled glass, fill with ice and top off Schweppes 1783 Muscovado, stir briefly then serve. Method: Throw first five ingredients with ice. Strain into a chilled glass, fill with ice and top off with Schweppes 1783 Muscovado. Typically, you chill your liquor and the filler even though the drink comes on ice. This way, the ice will melt slower, and the carbonatation lasts longer. The Highball glassDuffy's letter to The New York Times mentions Adam House in Boston while the reference in his subsequent book talks of 'Parker House'. Both are plausible Boston locations but does this confusion mean we should not take any of Duffy's claims for being the first to make Scotch Highballs in America seriously? The Times merely published Duffy's letter to the editor, the paper did not substantiate or even 'give credit' to his claims. Tommy Dewar's claim As the name signifies, it's higher than an Old Fashioned glass (also called lowball glass) and a bit wider than the super-slim collins glass.

The term highball appears to have emerged during the 1890s with the first known written mention appearing in a play, My Friend From India by Ha Du Souchet in 1894 with a character called Erastus saying "Talking about drinks, I think I'll have one. (enter Jennings) Jennings, bring me a high ball of whiskey." Method: SHAKE first 5 ingredients with ice and strain into ice-filled glass. TOP with salty lemon tonic.

What does mixing whiskey and soda water taste like? In truth: like watered down whiskey. It’s nothing like a Vodka Tonic: the vodka version of a highball that tastes light and citrusy. Here’s a little breakdown on the bubbles to use in a whiskey highball:

If you're curious now, here's a recipe and instructions on how to make the perfect Japanese Highball. Lowballs Created in June 2018 by yours truly with Dmytro Grypachevskyy and Lucian Obreja from L'Ortolan, the Michelin Starred restaurant in Reading, Berkshire. Due to the quinine in the Kina Lillet used in the original Vesper, highballing a Vesper with tonic water really appealed to me and the result, something of a G&T and Vesper lovechild, was indeed both delicious and refreshing.In more sophisticated places, everything is thought through: from ice to glassware, from the Whiskey to the filler. Every Highball served is meant to be an experience. Created by Jayson Jansen van Vuuren and Callum Whitehead from Liquid Chefs and yours truly at The Cabinet Room in London. Japan has a long tradition not only of drinking but also in creating great Whiskey. Due to a difference in their genes, many Japanese can't consume drinks with high alcohol percentages. Method: Fill a mixing glass with first four ingredients, add ice and stir briefly. Double strain into chilled glass, add ice and top off with Schweppes 1783 Muscovado.