Cara McInerney

The Japanese highball, like so many creations from this island nation, is an exercise in simplicity that belies the painstaking knowledge and expertise required in its creation. Cara McInerney is assistant director of outlets for Waldorf Astoria Atlanta Buckhead, home to Brassica, a concept combining French tradition with Southern inspiration. She honors the artistry of the Japanese highball by developing a take she considers “a love letter.”

The techniques may be rooted in Japan, but the drink, served in a rocks glass, is also infused with hometown pride, appropriating Atlanta’s nickname, The City in the Forest, and featuring the state’s signature fruit as a twist on the traditional citrus element of the Japanese highball. Whiskey and soda water are combined with a peach shrub, lending an acidic note that is further heightened with the addition of acid phosphate. With proper chilling and balanced carbonation, McInerney says the final build is refreshing yet “zippy,” perfect for warm-weather menus and outdoor imbibing. “Many guests who choose to dine in our English gardens order this cocktail for proper patio sipping,” she says.

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