Highland Cooler
The Highland Cooler: A Scottish Summertime Refresher
The Highland Cooler appeared in bartending manuals from the early 20th century, representing the era's enthusiasm for "cooler" style drinks that combined spirits with citrus, sweetener, and carbonated mixers.
The name references the Scottish Highlands, the mountainous region known for whisky production, according to Difford's Guide. The cocktail combines Scotch with fresh lemon juice, sugar, ginger ale, and Angostura bitters. This formula creates a refreshing, lightly sweetened highball that showcases Scotch while ginger ale adds spice and effervescence, as noted in Kindred Cocktails.
The Highland Cooler belongs to the cooler family of cocktails popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s. These drinks were designed as refreshing, lower-alcohol options suitable for warm weather or daytime drinking. Coolers typically featured spirits mixed with citrus, sugar, and sparkling water or ginger ale served over ice in tall glasses.
The drink fell into obscurity after the mid-20th century but occasionally appears on contemporary menus as a historical example of early Scotch highballs. The Highland Cooler appeals to modern drinkers seeking straightforward, refreshing cocktails.
RECIPE:
2 oz Scotch whisky
3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz simple syrup
3 oz ginger ale
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Lemon wheel for garnish
Method:
Add Scotch, lemon juice, and simple syrup to a highball glass filled with ice.
Add bitters and stir briefly.
Top with ginger ale and stir gently.
Garnish with lemon wheel.