This Summer, Skip the Highball: Mix a Skyeball with This Scotch Whisky

The mercury is climbing to tropical heights and the patio set is sparkling in the sun. Whether you’re in the backyard, camping at home, or on holiday abroad, the sunshine is crying out for a good cocktail. So we’ve got just the thing to cool you down: not a whisky highball, but a Skye ball!

The result is a tall, refreshing whisky cocktail that lets the bold character of the Scottish Isle of Skye shine through. The Skyball is cool enough for a scorching summer afternoon, yet thanks to the whisky it has far more depth than your average mixed drink.

Sometimes the whisky gets sidelined in a cocktail. In the Talisker Skyball, the whisky isn’t an afterthought drowned in something sweet, it’s the star of the show.

This single malt from the distillery on the Isle of Skye brings bright citrus, a gentle peppery warmth, and the maritime notes that Talisker is famous for. That combination works beautifully in a summery highball built for cooling off.

Sparkling soda water lifts the whisky, making it lighter and fresher without washing out its personality. Citrus and sweeter notes step forward, while smoke and pepper keep the tension humming. A tiny pinch of black pepper on top amplifies that signature spiciness even more.

If you want to serve the Talisker Skye ball and enjoy the taste of Skye in your own garden, here’s what you’ll need. These are the ingredients for the whisky cocktail:

Fill a chilled highball glass all the way with ice. Pour the Talisker Skye over the ice, then gently top with the water. Stir the cocktail carefully a few times to keep as much carbonation as possible. Finish the Skyball with a small pinch of freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.

Pro tip: The colder the glass, the ice, the whisky, and the soda water, the crisper and livelier the final result. You can chill a glass in the fridge beforehand or pack it with ice for a few minutes. Opt for large ice cubes if you can—they melt more slowly and dilute the cocktail less.

The highball is one of the simplest cocktail styles in the world. It’s built on a base spirit topped with a larger measure of a nonalcoholic mixer. It’s served over ice in the signature tall highball glass.

The exact origin of the name isn’t entirely certain. The term surfaced at the end of the 19th century. A likely explanation is that “high” refers to the tall glass in which the drink was served. Scotch whisky with soda water became one of the classic expressions of the highball.

Later, the whisky highball was elevated to a refined art form in Japan, where everything revolves around frosty glassware, crystal-clear ice, vigorously sparkling soda water, and a meticulous balance between whisky and mixer.