How You Can Craft the Perfect Highball With Suntory Whisky Toki
From izakayas to jazz cafés, Japan’s highball is a refreshing, sparkling ritual—one Suntory Whisky Toki elevates.
In Japan, the whisky highball is a mixed drink with a social ritual that moves easily from smoky izakayas and jazz cafés to convenience stores and, yes, even vending machines. Its rise tracks with the mid-century boom of Suntory’s Torys Bars, where founder Shinjiro Torii helped popularize whisky cut long with sparkling water as a lighter, versatile food pairing alternative to beer. That culture still frames how many people drink today: crisp, cold, low-ABV and built for conversation. Toki—the modern blend from the House of Suntory—was conceived with that exact serve in mind.
Technique is everything. Start cold: chill the glass, the whisky, and the soda water. Fill a highball glass with fresh, hard ice; add one measure of Toki; give it a brief stir to bring both spirit and glass to temperature. Top with three to four measures of well-chilled soda water and finish with a single gentle, bottom-to-top stir—just enough to marry the ingredients without beating the bubbles out. A citrus accent (lemon peel or a grapefruit coin) lifts the aromatics and snaps the drink into focus.
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If you like it even crisper, consider a traditional variation: the ice-free highball, which trades dilution for texture and emphasizes the whisky’s natural sweetness. Either way, the method rewards care—clean ice, restrained stirring, and high carbonation are what make a highball feel feather-light yet flavorful. Follow this step-by-step and you’ll land squarely in the pocket of
Toki’s flavor profile is tailor-made for this canvas: green-apple brightness on the nose, citrus and herbs on the palate, and a subtly sweet-and-spicy finish that stays refreshing over a long pour. That balance is why the drink pairs so well with food—from fried karaage to charcoal-grilled yakitori—and why the highball remains a weeknight staple as much as a bar classic. Designed to shine with soda and ice and meant to be shared, the Toki Highball is modern Japan in a glass.
Make the Toki Highball at home and share the ritual.
DISCLAIMER: We discourage irresponsible and/or underage drinking. Drink responsibly and legally.
