Scotch and Soda

Also known as Scotch Highball, Whisky and Soda, Whiskey and Soda

A simple, spirit-forward highball that lets the whisky speak with a bit of fizz.

scotchhighballfizzydrysmokymaltyrefreshingsimple

ABV

Difficulty

Overview

What this drink is like

Opens with the distinct malt and oak of the scotch, mellowed by the cold fizz of the soda. The middle is lighter, with the water opening up the whisky's hidden notes. It finishes clean with lingering warmth and a hint of grain or smoke depending on the scotch.

Who will like it

For people who like spirit-forward, uncomplicated drinks with a bit of effervescence and no sweetness.

When to drink

A great afternoon sipper or a low-maintenance evening drink when you want something cold but not sweet.

Ordering tip

Specify your preferred scotch style, like a Speyside for something light and fruity or an Islay if you want smoke, because the house pour sets the tone.

Ice: CubedTemp: ColdCost: $2–$5Glass: HighballHome bar friendly

Flavor

Taste profile

This is a dry, bracing drink that cools you down while delivering the straightforward taste of scotch. The soda water doesn't add flavor, but it stretches the whisky out and makes the smoky, malty notes easier to pick apart on your tongue. It's light and thin in the mouth, with the bubbles carrying the aroma up to your nose. There is no sweetness to hide behind, so what you taste is the spirit itself, cold and fizzy.

Finish: The finish runs short and clean, with a lingering warmth and a faint echo of oak or smoke after the liquid is gone.

Primary tastes

earthysmokynutty

Secondary

floralfruity

Aroma

Malted barleyOakFaint peatCarbonation bite

Bitternessvery low bitterness
There is almost no bitterness, just a faint dry bite from the oak-aged whisky and the carbonation.
Strengthmoderate strength
The soda waters the whisky down to a comfortable sipping strength, but the alcohol presence is still firmly there.
Refreshingvery refreshing
Cold ice and fizzy soda water make this an incredibly thirst-quenching drink.
Smokinesspresent smokiness
Scotch naturally brings a layer of smoke and peat that sits right in the middle of the palate.
Complexitylow complexity
With only two ingredients, the flavor is straightforward and relies entirely on the whisky's own character.

Recipe

Make it at home

Built · Highball · equal parts on Scotch Whisky. Blended Scotch is traditional, but any style works

Before you start

Pull a tall glass from the cabinet and grab good, solid ice from the freezer. Make sure your club soda is cold so the drink stays refreshing and doesn't go flat quickly.

Ingredients

Scotch WhiskyBase Spirit50ml
Club SodaSodaChilled100ml
Lemon TwistoptionalGarnish1 twist

Garnish: Lemon twist

Tools

Highball Glass · Serving
Holds the drink and ice, giving you enough room for the soda to fizz up.
At home: Any tall straight-sided glass
Jigger · Measuring
Measures the scotch so the drink isn't too strong or too weak.
At home: Small measuring cup or shot glass
Bar Spoon · Mixing
Stirs the drink gently without knocking the ice around and killing the fizz.
At home: Long-handled spoon or chopstick

Steps

1
Fill a highball glass all the way to the top with ice cubes. Using plenty of cold ice keeps the drink crisp and slows down the dilution so your whisky doesn't get watered down too fast.
!Using too little ice makes the drink warm up and go flat before you finish it.
2
Pour 50ml of scotch whisky over the ice. Let it settle down into the glass; you'll see it pool around the ice cubes at the bottom.
!Pouring the scotch too fast and splashing it up the sides of the glass.
3
Top up the glass with about 100ml of cold club soda, pouring it gently down the side of the glass. Pouring gently keeps the carbonation from fizzing over the rim.
!Dumping the soda straight down the middle, which makes it foam up and lose its fizz.
4
Slide a bar spoon down the side of the glass and give it one or two slow, gentle stirs from the bottom up. You'll know you're done when the color looks even from top to bottom, but stop before you stir the bubbles out of existence.
~5s
!Stirring too aggressively, which knocks the gas out of the soda and leaves the drink flat.
5
Run a lemon peel around the rim of the glass, then drop it into the drink if you want a hint of bright citrus on the nose. This step is optional, but it adds a nice fresh aroma to the first few sips.
!Squeezing the lemon peel hard into the drink, which sprays bitter oil instead of just adding aroma.

Serve

Serve it right away while it's still sharply cold and fizzy. Drink it at a relaxed pace before the ice melts and dilutes the whisky too much.

Variations

Ingredient substitutions

Each row shows what you can swap in place of an original ingredient, and how the drink changes.

Swap options for Club Soda

Club SodaSparkling Water
Match
Common availability
Club Soda → Sparkling Water: Tastes nearly identical, just without the slight sodium bite of club soda.
Club SodaGinger Ale
Match
Common availability
Club Soda → Ginger Ale: Adds a spicy ginger kick and noticeable sweetness that covers up the whisky's subtleties.

Swap options for Scotch Whisky

Scotch WhiskyIrish Whiskey
Match
Common availability
Scotch Whisky → Irish Whiskey: Swaps the smoky, earthy notes for a lighter, fruitier, and slightly sweeter profile.
Scotch WhiskyJapanese Whisky
Match
Specialty availability
Scotch Whisky → Japanese Whisky: Keeps the malt character but is usually more delicate and floral than standard scotch.

Similar cocktails

Cousin drinks that share DNA with this one — each profile stands on its own.

Similar cocktail

Whiskey and Ginger

Uses ginger ale instead of club soda, adding sweetness and a spicy bite.

Match

Both drinks are cold, fizzy whisky delivery systems, but the Scotch and Soda is dry and bracing while the Whiskey and Ginger is sweeter and has a warm ginger spice running through it.

In common: Simple two-ingredient highball, Built in the glass, Spirit-forward

Ingredients

Both share

Scotch Whisky

Only in Scotch and Soda

Club Soda

Only in Whiskey and Ginger

Ginger Ale

Swapping club soda for ginger ale turns a dry, fizzy drink into a sweeter, spicier one. The ginger ale softens the alcohol bite but masks the subtler malt notes of the scotch.

Flavor

Shared flavors

Whisky-forward profile, Cold and carbonated, Refreshing

How Whiskey and Ginger differs

Sweeter, Spicier, Less dry

View recipe & details →

Similar cocktail

Mamie Taylor

The Mamie Taylor adds lime juice and ginger beer or ginger ale, making it sour and spicy.

Match

The Scotch and Soda is a quiet, dry sipper, whereas the Mamie Taylor is louder and more refreshing, with a sharp sourness and a gingery kick that completely changes the finish.

In common: Scotch-based highball, Uses club soda, Served tall with ice

Ingredients

Both share

Scotch Whisky, Club Soda

Only in Mamie Taylor

Lime Juice, Ginger Beer

The Mamie Taylor builds on the exact same foundation but adds lime for acidity and ginger beer for spice. This turns a simple dry mixer into a complex, tart, and spicy drink.

Flavor

Shared flavors

Smoky scotch backbone, Effervescent, Cold

How Mamie Taylor differs

Tart, Spicier, More complex

View recipe & details →

History

Origin

The drink emerged naturally in the late 19th century shortly after carbonated water became widely available. It was popularized by Tommy Dewar, a Scottish whisky maker who traveled the world promoting scotch, though he certainly did not invent the combination.

Era: 1880s
Confidence

The exact ratio varies widely by personal preference; 1:2 is standard but some prefer 1:3.

Practical

Tips & pitfalls

What works at home and what to skip when making this drink.

Tips

Worth knowing before you pour

Keep your club soda in the fridge so it stays fizzy longer.
Use solid, clear ice to slow down dilution.
Stir gently to mix without destroying the carbonation.

Avoid

Common mistakes

Using cheap, thin ice that melts instantly.
Shaking the drink, which ruins the carbonation.
Using a heavily peated scotch if you dislike smoke.