Problem: I don’t want to drink anything else because I’m afraid of the calories.

Soda water has been at the core of cocktails ever since Hungarians created the first wine spritzers. Though the soda siphon might not be as ubiquitous behind the bar as it once was, carbonated water continues to be a simple tool for making straight liquors more digestible without masking their flavors.

Tom Sanham of Dwink.com and author of the new drinker’s bible, World’s Best Cocktails, says 2013 is to be the year of the highball as drinkers and bartenders look to perfect simple twists on this classic serve. “If you can find a few healthy ingredients to add to the mix it might even verge on the healthy choice at the bar!” he half jokes, explaining: “The key to a decent highball twist is to think about using fresh juices; where possible the addition of ingredients like ginger can really boost the health kick.” He, too, feels that the vodka soda “is about the least inspiring mixed drink on the market. Even with a complex vodka it’s a very simplistic serve and you should experiment with new spirits and other alcohol.” We asked Sanham to share some recipe’s from this highball revolution.

Aperitivo California

“This drink was made for me by Kevin Armstrong, who introduced me to the delights of drinking Punt e Mes [Italian Vermouth] on ice when he was manager at Milk & Honey in London. Kevin told me it’s actually a Dale DeGroff creation.”

1½ oz Punt e Mes
1½ oz pink
grapefruit juice
1½ oz orange juice
1½ oz tonic water
Garnish with a slice each of pink grapefruit and orange.

Southside

“A drink that was enjoyed by Chicago mobsters who violently fought for bootlegging territory during Prohibition.”

1 oz Miller’s Dry gin
8 spearmint leaves
1 oz fresh lime juice
¼ oz sugar syrup
2 dashes aromatic bitters
Soda water
Muddle ingredients in the glass, add ice, top with soda water and stir. Garnish with a lime wedge and sprig of mint and serve with a straw.

Peach and Elderflower Collins

“Created by Bombay Sapphire brand ambassador Sam Carter, a mixologist who has managed a host of illustrious U.K. bars.”

1½ oz Bombay
Sapphire gin
Juice of half a lemon
½ oz elderflower cordial
1/5 oz white peach purée
Soda water
Muddle peach in a mixing glass before adding other ingredients and stir with ice. Fine strain into a tall glass filled with ice, top up with soda water and stir. Garnish with a wedge of peach.

Mizuwari

“The traditional tipple of the Japanese, this really is a simple serve and in Tokyo they’ll use non-carbonated water. It works well with a Japanese whiskey and the key is to add ice chunk by chunk as you pour the water and stir slowly. It’s all about the theater of the preparation.”

2 oz Hakushu
12-Year-Old whiskey
Sparkling mineral water
Pour the whiskey in the glass and stir in an ice cube, add another and continue stirring, adding cube by cube with sparkling water. Garnish with lemon, lime or orange zest.