Cognac Highball

Not enough ice, almost every time. Three or four cubes chill nothing and melt straight into warm sugar water. Fill the glass to the top, keep both the cognac and the soda cold beforehand, and pour the soda gently down a bar spoon.

Squeeze nothing. Express the oils from a peel across the surface and either drop it in or rest it on the rim. Cognac with lemon juice is a Sidecar's business; here the acid fights the oak and leaves the drink tasting thin.

It's the difference between the drink working and not. With two ingredients there's nothing to distract from flat water. Small bottles or cans, opened at the moment of pouring, are worth the extra cost and the extra recycling.

Yes. Armagnac gives you more rustic prune and pepper, brandy de Jerez brings sherry-cask sweetness that needs no adjustment, and American brandy runs lighter. Avoid anything labeled simply brandy at the cheap end, because it's usually sweetened.

A classic Cognac Highball calls for 45 ml (1.5 oz) Cognac, 120 ml (4 oz) Soda water. That single-serve spec scales cleanly — the recipe above converts it to oz and multiplies it for 2–4 drinks.

A standard Cognac Highball is roughly 11% ABV once mixed (before ice melt softens it further). That makes it a relatively light, sessionable drink — similar in strength to a beer.

A Cognac Highball is built directly in the glass over ice — no shaker required. Add the ingredients in order and give it a brief, gentle stir.