Ubiquitous in Japan, the whisky highball, like so much of Japanese drinking culture, has become an object of fascination on this side of the Pacific in recent years. But American bartenders, keen to put a personal stamp on the timeless formula, have introduced a number of subtle (and some not-so-subtle) twists to the basic combination of whisky, soda water and an optional twist of lemon.

Toby Cecchini, of Brooklyn’s Long Island Bar, developed his dead-simple Scotch & Soda, which was inspired by a trip to Japan. “I wanted something that … had a slight twist to it, and a subtle nod to Japan as the inspiration,” he says of his drink, which includes two garnishes: an aromatic twist of grapefruit peel and a shiso leaf. As a base, Cecchini experimented with a number of lighter-style whiskies from both Japan and Speyside, but settled on the fruity and “feather-light” Great King Street Artist Blend from Compass Box, which he describes as “perfection” in the two-ingredient formula.

Other bartenders, however, have made a point to push the envelope of what constitutes a highball, like Chicago’s Julia Momosé, whose variation is bolstered by small measures of mango vinegar, mango brandy and black cardamom–infused Sauternes, all layered over a base of Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt Whisky. Elsewhere, McLain Hedges, of Denver’s RiNo Yacht Club, takes a Japanese highball built on Suntory Toki whisky and diverts it through France; his Ballin’ is a Habit sees three unorthodox additions, namely a full ounce of Dolin dry vermouth, a splash of St-Germain and a few drops of saline.

Created for the George Washington Bar in New York’s Freehand Hotel, Ben Rojo’s Commodore Perry Cooler proves to be a similarly modern rendition—albeit one that offers an overt nod to Japan. “I was inspired by the green notes in Suntory’s Hakushu malt that play so prominently in their blended Toki whisky,” says Rojo of the base spirit, which he infuses with shiso leaves for added complexity. Sweetened with wasanbon, a fine-grained Japanese sugar, and bittered with a measure of yuzu juice, it manages to stretch the highball template, yet still hews closely to the spirit of the original.

At ABV in San Francisco, Ryan Fitzgerald likewise takes inspiration from Hakushu. In his winterized take on the highball, he incorporates herbal génépy (an après-ski staple) for an alpine twist. “Both Hakushu and génépy come from mountain areas—and both are influenced by the region they come from,” Fitzgerald says. “They work great together in this simple cocktail.”