FOOD NEWS
A Whiskey Tonic And A Highball Have One Simple Ingredient Difference
BY AUTUMN SWIERS
If you love whiskey but can't tolerate it on the rocks, a whiskey tonic might be just the drink for you. Mixers are tailored to reduce ABVs, and that's where the highball comes in.
Highball cocktails are straightforward, reliable, predictable, and famously utilitarian. They combine carbonated, nonalcoholic beverages with higher ABV spirits.
You may reach for club soda when making a classic highball cocktail, but the best way to showcase a high-quality whiskey and let its flavor shine is to use tonic.
Tonic is a bittersweet soda water known for its dryness. It contains a myriad of ingredients, like citric acid, high fructose corn syrup, occasional botanicals, and quinine.
Unlike club soda, tonic water doesn't contain mineral salts or sodium bicarbonate, resulting in a thinner body and a more dimensional flavor that's slightly bitter from the quinine.
Tonic's sharpness, tang, citric bite, and dry, bitter backend complement the mellow, oaky, dark whiskey, whether your brand of choice leans smoky, peaty, or malty.
To make a whiskey tonic, fill a highball glass with ice, stir together 2 ounces of whiskey with 4-6 ounces of tonic water, and garnish it with a thick lemon or orange wedge.