Whiskey and Ginger

Also known as Whiskey Ginger, Whisky Ginger, Ginger and Whiskey, Bourbon and Ginger

A no-fuss highball that pairs whiskey's warmth with the spicy-sweet kick of ginger ale.

gingercaramelspicysweetrefreshingoakhighballeasy-drinkingwarmcarbonated

ABV

Difficulty

Overview

What this drink is like

The first sip hits with ginger spice and sweetness, then the whiskey comes through with caramel and oak underneath. It finishes with a lingering warmth from the spirit and a gentle ginger tingle on the tongue.

Who will like it

For people who like easy-drinking, spirit-forward highballs with a bit of sweetness and spice but no bitterness.

When to drink

This is your afternoon-on-the-porch or casual-weekend drink — simple, cold, and refreshing when you don't want to think too hard about what's in your glass.

Ordering tip

Ask for ginger ale if you want it sweeter and milder, or ginger beer if you want it spicier and drier — most bars will default to ginger ale unless you specify.

Ice: CubedTemp: ColdCost: $2–$5Glass: HighballBatch-friendlyHome bar friendly

Flavor

Taste profile

This is about as straightforward as a mixed drink gets: sweet ginger ale and warm whiskey, cold and fizzy. The ginger hits first with its spicy-sweet bite, then the whiskey's caramel and oak fill in underneath. It's not a drink that unfolds or surprises you — it's a cold, easy sipper that tastes exactly like what it is. The finish is short and warm, with the ginger tingle hanging on after the liquid is gone.

Finish: The finish is short and warm, with ginger spice lingering on the tongue after the sweetness fades.

Primary tastes

sweetspicyearthy

Secondary

nuttysmoky

Aroma

caramelginger spicevanillaoak

Bitternessvery low bitterness
There's barely any bitterness here — just a faint edge from the ginger and oak that most drinkers won't notice.
Sweetnessmoderately sweet
The ginger ale brings noticeable sweetness that sits front and center, softened slightly by the whiskey's dry edge.
Strengthmoderate strength
The mixer waters it down to a comfortable sipping strength — you taste the whiskey but it doesn't hit hard.
Refreshingvery refreshing
Cold, carbonated, and light — this drinks almost like a beer in how easy it goes down on a warm day.
Smokinessminimal smokiness
A faint char from the whiskey barrel might peek through, but this is not a smoky drink by any stretch.
Complexityvery simple
Two ingredients mean what you taste is what you get — straightforward and unlayered, with no hidden depths.

Recipe

Make it at home

Built · Highball · equal parts on Bourbon Whiskey. Irish whiskey or rye also work well; bourbon gives the sweetest, roundest flavor

Before you start

Pull a tall glass from the cabinet and grab fresh ice — the drink is mostly ice and mixer, so stale ice will make the whole thing taste off.

Ingredients

Bourbon WhiskeyBase Spirit50ml
Ginger AleSodaGinger beer can be substituted for a spicier, less sweet drink120ml
Lime wedgeoptionalGarnishSqueeze it in for a touch of acidity that cuts the sweetness1 wedge

Garnish: Lime wedge

Tools

Highball glass · Serving
The serving vessel — tall enough to hold the spirit, ice, and mixer with room to spare
At home: Any tall glass tumbler or pint glass
Jigger · Measuring
Measuring the whiskey so you don't over-pour or under-pour
At home: A shot glass or measuring spoon — 50ml is roughly 3.5 tablespoons
Bar spoon · Mixing
Stirring gently to combine the whiskey and ginger ale without killing the carbonation
At home: A long spoon or chopstick — anything that reaches the bottom of the glass

Steps

1
Fill a highball glass to the top with ice cubes. You want the glass packed tight — the more ice, the slower it melts, and the less watery your drink gets.
!Using too little ice makes the drink warm up and dilute fast.
2
Pour 50ml bourbon whiskey over the ice. Tilt the glass slightly and pour slowly so you don't splash — the whiskey will settle down through the ice on its own.
!Pouring too fast and splashing whiskey over the rim.
3
Top with 120ml ginger ale, pouring it slowly down the inside of the glass to keep as much fizz as possible. The ginger ale should fill the glass to about an inch below the rim.
!Pouring the ginger ale too aggressively, which kills the carbonation before you even drink it.
4
Take your bar spoon and give the drink two or three gentle stirs — just enough to mix the whiskey and ginger ale together. You'll see the color even out and the bubbles rise. Stop stirring once it looks uniform; over-stirring will flatten the drink.
~5s
!Stirring too vigorously or too long, which makes the drink go flat.
5
If you're using the lime wedge, give it a quick squeeze over the drink and drop it in. The squeeze adds a little brightness that cuts through the sweetness — skip it if you want the drink pure and sweet.
!Squeezing too hard and overpowering the drink with lime juice.

Serve

Serve it right away while it's still cold and fizzy — this drink doesn't improve sitting around. Keep the ginger ale nearby in case anyone wants a top-up.

Variations

Ingredient substitutions

Each row shows what you can swap in place of an original ingredient, and how the drink changes.

Swap options for Bourbon Whiskey

Bourbon WhiskeyIrish Whiskey
Match
Common availability
Bourbon Whiskey → Irish Whiskey: Lighter and smoother with less caramel sweetness, letting the ginger come forward more.
Bourbon WhiskeyRye Whiskey
Match
Common availability
Bourbon Whiskey → Rye Whiskey: Drier and spicier, which amplifies the ginger heat and cuts the sweetness.
Bourbon WhiskeyScotch Whisky
Match
Common availability
Bourbon Whiskey → Scotch Whisky: Adds malt and sometimes smoke, making the drink earthier and less sweet — a bigger departure from the original.

Swap options for Ginger Ale

Ginger AleGinger Beer
Match
Common availability
Ginger Ale → Ginger Beer: Spicier, less sweet, and more intense ginger flavor — makes the drink sharper and more assertive.
Ginger AleDiet Ginger Ale
Match
Common availability
Ginger Ale → Diet Ginger Ale: Less sweet with a slightly thinner mouthfeel, but the ginger flavor stays roughly the same.

Similar cocktails

Cousin drinks that share DNA with this one — each profile stands on its own.

Similar cocktail

Whiskey Highball

Uses soda water instead of ginger ale, making it drier and less sweet with no spice.

Match

The Whiskey Highball is the same idea but stripped down — you taste more of the whiskey itself without the ginger ale's sweetness getting in the way.

In common: whiskey-based highball, built in glass, cold and carbonated, simple two-ingredient structure

Ingredients

Both share

Bourbon Whiskey

Only in Whiskey and Ginger

Ginger Ale

Only in Whiskey Highball

Soda Water

Swapping ginger ale for soda water removes all the sweetness and ginger spice, leaving a cleaner, drier drink that lets the whiskey speak more directly.

Flavor

Shared flavors

whiskey-forward base, cold and carbonated, refreshing and easy-drinking

How Whiskey Highball differs

drier, less sweet, no ginger spice, whiskey is more prominent

View recipe & details →

Similar cocktail

Moscow Mule

Uses vodka instead of whiskey and adds lime juice, making it lighter and more tart.

Match

Both drinks have that ginger-spice backbone, but the Moscow Mule is sharper and more tart from the lime, while the Whiskey and Ginger is rounder and warmer from the bourbon.

In common: ginger-spiced highball, carbonated, served cold over ice

Ingredients

Both share

Ginger Beer

Only in Whiskey and Ginger

Bourbon Whiskey, Ginger Ale

Only in Moscow Mule

Vodka, Lime juice

The Moscow Mule swaps whiskey for vodka and adds lime juice, which removes the caramel-oak sweetness and adds a tart citrus backbone that the Whiskey and Ginger doesn't have.

Flavor

Shared flavors

ginger spice kick, carbonated and refreshing, easy-drinking

How Moscow Mule differs

tarter from lime juice, lighter spirit profile, no caramel or oak notes, served in copper mug

View recipe & details →

Similar cocktail

Dark and Stormy

Uses dark rum instead of whiskey, giving it molasses and tropical notes instead of caramel and oak.

Match

The Dark and Stormy shares the ginger-spice warmth but trades whiskey's caramel and oak for rum's molasses depth, making it feel a bit richer and more tropical.

In common: ginger-spiced highball, carbonated, built over ice

Ingredients

Both share

Ginger Beer

Only in Whiskey and Ginger

Bourbon Whiskey, Ginger Ale

Only in Dark and Stormy

Dark Rum, Lime wedge

Flavor

Shared flavors

ginger spice kick, carbonated and refreshing, warm spirit base

How Dark and Stormy differs

molasses and tropical fruit from rum, slightly richer body, no oak or caramel notes

View recipe & details →

Similar cocktail

Seven and Seven

Uses 7-Up instead of ginger ale, making it sweeter and more citrusy without the ginger spice.

Match

The Seven and Seven is the same easy-drinking format but swaps ginger's spicy warmth for 7-Up's sweet citrus, making it fruitier and less complex.

In common: whiskey-based highball, sweet carbonated mixer, built in glass, simple two-ingredient structure

Ingredients

Both share

Bourbon Whiskey

Only in Whiskey and Ginger

Ginger Ale

Only in Seven and Seven

7-Up

Replacing ginger ale with 7-Up removes the ginger spice and adds lemon-lime sweetness, making the drink sweeter and fruitier without the warming bite.

Flavor

Shared flavors

whiskey-forward with sweet mixer, cold and carbonated, easy-drinking highball

How Seven and Seven differs

sweeter overall, lemon-lime instead of ginger spice, no warming ginger bite

View recipe & details →

History

Origin

The whiskey and ginger is a simple mixed drink that evolved naturally from the broader highball tradition of the late 1800s, when spirits lengthened with carbonated mixers became popular in American and British bars. No single creator or origin point is documented — it's a drink that emerged wherever whiskey and ginger ale coexisted.

Confidence

This is a simple mixed drink with no standardized recipe — ratios vary by personal preference and regional convention. The 1:2.4 whiskey-to-mixer ratio used here is a common bar default.

Practical

Tips & pitfalls

What works at home and what to skip when making this drink.

Tips

Worth knowing before you pour

Use decent ginger ale — the cheap stuff tastes like sugar water with no ginger bite.
Chill your glass in the freezer for five minutes before building to keep the drink colder longer.
If using ginger beer, cut back to 100ml — it's spicier and stronger than ginger ale.
Squeeze the lime wedge in if the drink tastes too sweet — it balances things out.

Avoid

Common mistakes

Don't stir aggressively or you'll kill the carbonation.
Don't use stale or freezer-burned ice — it will dilute the drink with off-flavors.
Don't skip measuring the whiskey — free-pouring leads to inconsistent drinks.