Apricot Rye Highball

While highball cocktails are typically a simple two-ingredient drink made with a single spirit and a bubbly mixer like club soda, this flavor-forward version from Em Warden of The Houston Blacklight in Portland, Oregon takes things up a notch.

The Apricot Rye Highball starts with a syrup made from dried apricots, sugar, water, cinnamon, and a touch of lemon juice for balance. Leaning on dried apricots instead of fresh, whole fruit is an easy way to extract the flavor out of the syrup as dried apricots retain all the floral, sweet, and tart notes in the whole fruit without any of the water that can lead to syrup dillution.

Rye whiskey, which has a more spice-forward flavor profile compared to other styles of whiskey, pairs well with the warming cinnamon notes in the syrup. If you don't have rye on hand, bourbon, while a bit sweeter, will work as a substitute.

Why the Apricot Rye Highball works

Though this drink steers a bit away from the classic two-ingredient highball profile of spirit plus soda, it maintains a 2:1 ratio of mixers to base spirit. The club soda, apricot syrup, and fresh lemon juice combine to help counter the alcoholic punch of the rye whiskey.

What makes the Apricot Rye Highball standout is that it features so many different flavors in perfect balance. Lemon peel twist adds a touch of bitterness when submerged into the cocktail. The bubbles in the club soda amplify the fruity and spiced flavors and aromas present in this drink.