Highballs and Long Drinks Are the Top Cocktail Trend of 2024

The Tom Collins dates to the 1800s and is essentially a spiked sparkling lemonade. It uses the classic Gin Sour template — gin, lemon juice, and sugar — and then lengthened with soda water and garnished with a maraschino cherry and lemon wheel.

This highball from Steve Schneider at New York City’s Sip & Guzzle takes a bartender favorite — the Hemingway Daiquiri — and lengthens the drink with grapefruit soda to create a slow-sipping version of the Cuban classic.

Originating during the 1920s and named after a 75-millimeter field gun used in World War I, the French 75 follows the same build as the Tom Collins. However, it swaps the seltzer for sparkling wine to create a punchier, yet still long-lasting drink.

The Hugo Spritz originated in the mid-2000s, a creation of Roland Gruber in the town of Naturno, near the Italian-Austrian border. Though the drink has gone through a few iterations since its debut, the use of St-Germain, an elderflower liqueur released in 2007, caused its popularity to skyrocket over the next decade. It’s become one of the most popular spritz variations worldwide.

Similar to the famed Aperol Spritz, the Bicicletta is a slightly more bitter variation, owing to Campari as its base. It’s combined with dry white wine and sparkling water. Urban legend says that the drink gets its name from elderly Italian drinkers who would swerve their bicycles after a few too many of these during dinner.

Created in the mid-2000s as a collaboration between Zachary Gelnaw-Rubin and Abraham Hawkins at Dutch Kills in Long Island City, New York, the Bicycle Thief is named after a classic 1948 Italian film. It shares a similar build to the Bicicleta, but with a few key differences. Gin and Campari form the base, but they’re brightened with lemon juice and sugar before being lengthened with fresh grapefruit juice and soda water.

A classic European highball, the Porto Tonico is a simple white port and tonic that’s enjoyed during aperitivo hour across Portugal. It’s a fantastic choice for those who seek a low-alcohol option that won’t weigh you down. Lime and a sprig of fresh mint for garnish create a tart drink with an aromatic bouquet that refreshes on every sip.

Em Warden at The Houston Blacklight in Portland, Oregon, pairs rye whiskey with house-made apricot syrup, lemon, and seltzer, to create a drink that skirts the line between the iconic Whiskey Highball and a classic Collins.

Though Chu-His are still catching on stateside, the Shochu highball has long been a mainstay in its native Japan. Shochu, a grain- or vegetable-based spirit, is lengthened with soda water and combined with citrus. It creates a template for experimentation. “The Lemon Chu Hai is probably the most common drink from people young to old in Japan,” says Kenta Goto, owner of Bar Goto in New York City. “It’s a cocktail you should build how you want.”

At Gigi’s Italian Kitchen in Atlanta, a house-made Meyer limoncello is paired with Blue Dorris liqueur, club soda, and lemon. The result is a lighter, aromatic highball that brings a bouquet of botanicals and floral aromas.

A Caribbean classic, Gosling’s Black Seal rum is lengthened with spicy ginger beer and a squeeze of lime. The speed at which the drink comes together and an array of complex flavors has made it (alongside the equally popular Moscow Mule) one of the most popular drinks in the U.S.

Bourbon and mint always work well, but this cocktail from Jason Stevens at Austin’s Cosmic Saltillo brings mint and lemon to the fold, along with blackcurrant seltzer to lighten and brighten the classic pairing.