Why It's Worth Splurging On The Soda Water For Your Highball Cocktail

Part of the highball's appeal lies in its simplicity. In Japan, highball cocktails have become something of an art form, though Esquire admits the recipe is, indeed, similar to that of a less-than-glamourous-sounding booze-and-soda recipe. Prepare a highball, however, and you've elevated a common drink — ideal for those nights you'd like to feel extra fancy drinking at home.

A Bar Above acknowledges making a highball is as easy as you can get when it comes to mixing cocktails, so for aspiring bartenders, these drinks are the perfect place to start: Simply stir alcohol and sparkling water together. Of course, experienced bartenders splash and sprinkle in extra ingredients for added flavor, but these enhancements aren't necessary to pull off and serve quality drinks.

Besides selecting the type of alcohol you use for your highball and measuring the amount you pour, there is one area that demands focus, and that is the mixer you choose to blend your alcohol with.

While the ratio of booze to bubbles can certainly impact your drink, the kind of mixer you use can significantly impact the taste of your cocktail. Esquire warns that a few of the labels of carbonated mixers you'll find in grocery store aisles simply won't do justice to your homemade highball, as some bottled club soda varieties pack a sharper, crisper bubble. Choose your mixer wisely, as yes, there are differences between seltzer water, club soda, and tonic. You want the mixer you choose to play well with your alcohol, not distract from the taste of your preferred booze.

While we recognize there are certain instances in which you might be in a hurry to start drinking and are looking for places to cut corners (or just want to save money), reconsider the attention you give to the bubbly mixers you keep cold in your fridge.