Preparing yourhighball...
ART OF THE
JAPANESE
HIGHBALL
A timeless classic brimming with history
INTRODUCING THE HIGHBALL
INTRODUCING
THE HIGHBALL
Whisky, carbonated water and lemon — three ingredients are all that is needed to make this cocktail. It sounds simple enough, but the precision and craftsmanship that go into its preparation have elevated the highball beyond the sum of its parts. Nowhere is this truer than in Japan, where the highball was perfected and popularised.
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The term “highball” was
reputedly coined by famed
American bartender Patrick
Gavin Duffy, who named the
Scotch-and-soda concoction
after the tall glass tumbler
he served it in. The beverage
would eventually make its
way to Japan.
1890s
1923
The House of Suntory
pioneered Japanese
whisky production with
the construction of Japan’s
first malt whisky distillery,
Yamazaki.
Suntory launched its flagship
blended whisky, Suntory
Whisky, nicknamed “Kakubin”
(“square bottle” in Japanese).
Developed to suit the Japanese
palate with its subtle, refined
yet complex flavours, Kakubin
would go on to become
Japan’s best-selling whisky.
1937
1950s
Suntory opened Western-style
“Torys Bars” all over
Japan, attracting the everyday
salaryman. The Kaku highball
became their drink of choice as
it was widely embraced as an
affordable, refreshing beverage
that paired well with food.
Whisky (and the highball)
declined in popularity due to
a mix of factors, including a
shift in tastes towards clear
spirits like shochu, especially
among younger consumers,
as well as the bursting of
Japan’s ‘bubble’ economy
and the ensuing recession.
1980s
2000s
A successful rebranding
campaign by Suntory brought the
whisky highball back in vogue.
Suntory also created a highball
machine to produce high-quality
pours on tap, and Japanese
bartending techniques took off
around the world, sparking a
global highball boom.
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Reminders of Japanese
culture and tradition are
ever-present in the Kaku
highball — right down to the
Kakubin bottle’s distinctive
square-cut, tortoise-shell
design. It reflects
the traditional Japanese
cut-glass craft known as
“Satsuma Kiriko”.
The art of “Satsuma
Kiriko” originated in the
1840s and is characterised
by vibrant colours and
hand-engraved patterns
on the glass surface. The
tortoise-shell (“Kikko”)
pattern symbolises
longevity, happiness and
good fortune.
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