Whiskey and Soda

Steps

1. 1

   Fill a highball glass to the top with ice — regular cubes are fine, but bigger ones melt slower and keep the drink from watering down too fast. The ice should come right up to the rim.

   !Using too little ice means the drink warms up and dilutes quickly as the ice melts.

2. 2

   Pour 50ml of whiskey over the ice. You can use a jigger to measure, or just free-pour if you're confident — about two seconds from a standard bottle pour.

   !Over-pouring throws off the ratio and makes the drink taste like watered-down whiskey rather than a balanced highball.

3. 3

   Top the glass with about 100ml of cold club soda — pour it slowly down the inside of the glass to keep as much fizz as possible. You want the liquid to come up near the top of the glass with a little room left.

   !Pouring the soda too aggressively kills the carbonation before you even take a sip.

4. 4

   Take a bar spoon and give the drink one or two gentle stirs — just enough to mix the whiskey and soda together. You're not trying to shake it; you just want an even blend without stirring all the bubbles out.

   ~5s

   !Stirring too vigorously flattens the soda and leaves you with a still, lifeless drink.

5. 5

   If you're using a lemon twist, hold it over the drink and give it a quick pinch and twist so the citrus oils spray across the surface, then drop it in. This is optional but adds a nice bright note on the nose.