Highballs hip again in Tokyo
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The highball -- that favorite of austere Japan of the 1950s -- is back in fashion again as the country again pulls itself together, this time from the economic recession.
The highball - that favorite of austere Japan of the 1950s - is back in fashion again as the country again pulls itself together, this time from the economic recession.
After being looked-down upon for decades as being neither hip nor sophisticated, the highball was resurrected by whisky giant Suntory Liquors last year with a television campaign aimed at younger drinkers.
The result was the Kaku highball, featuring actress Koyuki downing one of the company's Kakubin whisky and soda concoctions.
The result was an instant increase in the number of people ordering cheap and cheerful highballs, and while just 15,000 bars were serving the drink at the end of last year, that figure has rocketed to an estimated 40,000 establishments today, according to Suntory.
And for anyone who does not want to go out for a drink, the company is also selling pre-mixed whisky-and-soda drinks in bottles or cans that are available from convenience stores and liquor shops.
"Kaku highballs are a popular way to enjoy whisky every day with meals," Suntory said in a statement. "Suntory plans to promote model environments for enjoying whisky to make the experience even more familiar to consumers, in addition to organizing Kaku highball events and encouraging whisky-and-soda cocktails."
The promotion drive is apparently working; sales in the first six months of the year were reportedly 25 percent up on the same period in the previous year.
The drink is reportedly very popular with women drinkers as it is lighter and less harsh than straight whisky or when it is served with water, with many consumers commenting that a highball slips down as easily as a beer. And served with ice, highballs were also a hit during Japan's long, hot summer.
The humble highball was initially a hit in the 1950s thanks to Japanese companies getting the knack of producing high-quality whisky.
Bartenders in Japan are also putting together slightly different takes on the highball, such as serving the Kaku highball with a dash of ginger ale or cola or the Samboa highball, with chilled whisky and soda served with no ice but a twist of lemon.
JR
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments