This straightforward bourbon highball is enlivened with a piquant white pepper syrup. Treat the soda water with care—pour gently, stir gently—to maximize its carbonation, Luthman advises.
Cherry Highball
Parker Luthman | Providence, Rhode Island

Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ounces Jim Beam Black bourbon
- 1/2 ounce Cherry Heering cherry liqueur
- 1/4 ounce white pepper syrup (see Editor’s Note)
- 5 ounces soda water
Garnish: orange twist
Directions
- Combine first three ingredients in a chilled Collins glass filled halfway with ice. Stir briefly to chill and incorporate.
- Fill the glass with ice and top up with the soda water, pouring it down the side of the glass to avoid hitting the ice. (This helps preserve the effervescence of the soda water.)
- Place the bar spoon in the highball, and move it gently up and down twice to lightly mix the ingredients.
- Express the orange twist over the drink, then use peel to garnish.
Editor's Note
White Pepper Syrup
8 ounces water
35 grams (about 5 tablespoons) ground white pepper
8 ounces sugar
5 grams (about 1 teaspoon) salt
1. Combine the water and white pepper in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and steep for 15 minutes.
2. Over low heat, add sugar and salt to the pepper-water mix, whisking until sugar is dissolved. Strain immediately through a 75-micron filter bag or cheesecloth (without squeezing) and let cool. Keeps, refrigerated, for up to one week.