How To Make A Scotch And Soda - Esquire

Home » What To Mix With Scotch » How To Make A Scotch And Soda - Esquire

Maybe your like

SearchSearchClose
  • Subscribe
  • My Bookmarks
  • Entertainment
  • Style
  • Food
  • Drinks
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
  • News & Politics
  • Archive
  • Newsletter
  • About Us
  • Follow
  • Other Editions
Skip to Contentsign inSubscribeSearchSearchLogosign inSubscribeSearchCloseLogo
  • Privacy NoticeTerms Of Use
xtiktokyoutubefacebookinstagrampinterestsign inSubscribe
  • More
Close-up of a fresh yellow sparkling drink with ice in a highball glass against green nature backgrounds.
Edalin / Alamy Stock Photo
Yields: 1 serving(s)Total Time: 5 minsbookmarksSaveprintPrint

The proper way to drink Scotch is with a splash of water to awaken the whisky's flavor and smooth the bite of the alcohol. Or so they say in Scotland. But not all of us have the constitution for that. Thank god, then, that the highball is making a comeback. What, exactly, sets it apart from a plain old whisky soda? Good scotch, good soda, and attention to bubbles. 

As Masahiro Urushido, head bartender at Katana Kitten, a Japanese-American bar in New York, told us last year, mixing a highball cocktail like a scotch and soda requires care. He makes them by filling a tall, narrow-mouthed glass with ice, adding the whisky, then holding the glass at an angle and slowly pouring in the soda. He doesn't stir. He does garnish with a lemon twist. And he makes sure to chill his whisky, his soda, and his highball glass in the freezer before using them. 

Pick the scotch of your choosing—to each their own with something as varying as scotch flavors—and grab some little bottles of quality club soda, as those have the best fizz. Don't get lazy with the glassware: That special highball glass goes a long way to preserving bubbles. Then, enjoy your simple, refined scotch and soda. 

Read MoreAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below

Ingredients

printPrint
  • 2 oz.

    scotch whisky

  • 4 oz.

    club soda

Directions

    1. Step 1Fill a tall, narrow glass with ice. Pour the scotch over the ice. 
    2. Step 2Slowly add the club soda, holding the glass at an angle. Do not stir. Garnish with a lemon twist.

For an ultra-precise scotch and soda, chill all three of your main ingredients before mixing: the scotch, the club soda, and the glass.

esquire select
.

Join Esquire Select

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Drinks

tequila bottle and a glass of cocktail with sparklers

Best New Year’s Eve Drinks to Ring in 2026

holiday cocktails

30 Best Holiday Cocktail Recipes

bloody mary

The Best Bloody Mary Recipes, According to Experts

glenfiddich whiskey bottle with a distillery background

Inside the Glenfiddich Distillery

Advertisement - Continue Reading Belowcocktail in a glass on a wooden surface

How to Make Sip & Guzzle’s Esquire Manhattan

esquire manhattan

We Helped Craft the Best New Cocktail in New York

best single malt scotch whisky

The Hands-Down Best Single-Malt Scotch to Drink

e

23 Can’t-Fail Gifts for Whiskey Enthusiasts

display of three whiskey bottles from different brands

The Smokiest Whiskeys to Sip and Enjoy Now

craft beer glass on table with beer bottle. neon color background. copy space

The 9 Best IPAs of 2025, According to Experts

e

Inside One of America’s Most Historic Distilleries

whisky bottle on a pedestal

What the Oldest Whisky Ever Bottled Tastes Like

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Tag » What To Mix With Scotch