Apple-Ginger Highball Cocktail Recipe

The Apple-Ginger Highball is a refreshing bourbon cocktail with warming ginger, nutty aromas, and balanced sweet-tart flavors. It’s topped with dry sparkling cider for a wallop of orchard-fruit notes.

This simple fall cocktail takes the classic highball components of an alcoholic base and sparkling mixer and modifies it in a few ways. The Apple-Ginger Highball uses a split base of bourbon and manzanilla sherry and leans on dry sparkling cider in lieu of a non-alcoholic effervescent mixer for increased complexity and a bit more power. 

The combination of bourbon and manzanilla sherry creates a boozy base for this cocktail with layers of flavor. The bourbon imparts warming caramel notes, and the manzanilla, a dry fino sherry, adds nutty and lemony flavors. Spicy-sweet ginger syrup adds richness to this drink as well as a gingery kick. 

Why the Apple-Ginger Highball works

Most highball cocktails are made with club soda or tonic water. Here, dry sparkling cider is the primary effervescent element, with a little added club soda for lightness. The tart apple notes in the cider add a counterpoint to the sweeter ingredients.

Though storebought ginger syrup can certainly be used, homemade ginger syrup will have a fresher ginger kick that doubles down on the fall flavors in this simple yet complex cocktail.