Drinks Cocktails Matcha Whiskey Highball Be the first to rate & review! A little matcha goes a long way in this simple, festive highball recipe. By Jason Patz Jason Patz Best New Mixologist See All F&W's Best New Mixologists Where He WonWilliams & Graham; Denver First Bartending Experience My first official bartending day was at P.F. Chang’s in Denver, the day after I turned 21. I had been working as a bar-back, and the Sunday morning bartender got fired on Friday night. It was fun, but then the bartender who relieved me that evening came in and yelled at me because I had nothing done the way that he wanted it done. Go-To Drink A simple old-fashioned: a little lemon peel, bitters and whiskey. There’s always a bottle of Angostura behind the bar, and you can use almost any spirit and it’ll still be good. An occasional vodka soda is OK, too. Favorite Bar There’s a really great dive bar in Denver that I love a lot called the P S Lounge. Very old-school, owned by a little old man. Every woman who walks in the door gets a red rose, and every hour on the hour, if you bought a drink in that hour, they pour a shot for everybody. It’s not the greatest shot, but it’s cool. The hospitality there is amazing. Drink Everyone Should Learn How to Make A basic sour: citrus, sugar, spirit. You can switch things out: use honey for your sweetener, or use a sweeter liqueur. Your acid can be any number of things: lemon, lime or grapefruit juice. The combinations can be almost endless. Favorite Food and Cocktail Pairing A French 75 and sushi, or a good steak with a Vieux Carré. Things Every Home Bartender Should Have A good juicer, a good set of cocktail tins and a good cocktail book, like The PDT Cocktail Book, The Savoy Cocktail Book or Gary Regan’s The Joy of Mixology. And a group of friends to entertain! Have a party and have each friend bring a different bottle of booze, and then play. You can’t sit in your kitchen all alone and make 15 drinks and be like, “That one’s good.” By the fifth drink, you’re not going to remember the first drink. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on November 13, 2023 Save Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Chelsea Kyle / Food Styling by Drew Aichele Total Time: 5 mins Yield: 1 Jump to recipe With its earthy, slightly grassy flavor, matcha is one of my favorite ingredients to use when I’m baking, but it’s also an incredibly versatile addition to cocktails. To make this highball, you’ll need just a quarter of a teaspoon — use the rest to make a matcha latte, or this matcha cake with creamy matcha buttercream. —Oset Babür-Winter Frequently asked questions How do you make honey syrup? To make honey syrup, simply combine one part honey with one part water in a small saucepan over medium. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring occasionally, until honey is dissolved, between one to two minutes. Cool at room temperature. What is matcha? Matcha is a powder made from ground green tea leaves, with two main grades. Ceremonial is the highest quality; it's produced from the season's first harvest. Because the leaves are young, they have more chlorophyll and hence the most vibrant color. The second matcha category is culinary grade, which is harvested later in the season. These leaves have been subjected to more sunlight, so the taste is more astringent. This grade is typically combined with other ingredients that help balance and round out its flavor. What is the best glass for this drink? Given the volume of this drink, you’ll want a glass that can handle club soda, whiskey, and honey syrup without risk of overflow. We’d recommend using a highball or Collins glass, but don’t settle for a ho-hum option; these stunning wave glasses from Australian tabletop brand Fazeek add extra flair to an already colorful drink. Notes From the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Matcha powder tends to clump when mixed with liquid; to loosen any that’s stuck to the side of the shaker, swirl the club soda in the shaker before pouring it into the glass. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 2 ounces Japanese whisky (such as Hibiki) 1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/2 ounce honey syrup 1/4 teaspoon matcha powder 4 ounces chilled club soda 1 lemon wheel, for garnish Directions Add whisky, lemon juice, honey syrup, and matcha into an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously. Pour into a chilled, ice-filled Collins glass. Pour the club soda into the shaker, swirl around to rinse, then stir into the glass. Garnish with the lemon wheel. Rate It Print