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Highball vs Spritz
Two long, sparkling families — one built on a spirit, one built on wine.
Which should you use?
A highball is a spirit lengthened with a mixer; a spritz is a bitter or aromatic aperitivo lengthened with sparkling wine, soda or both. The spritz is usually the lighter drink and the more obviously aperitif one. The highball is the more flexible: almost any spirit and almost any mixer.
| Dimension | Highballs | Spritzes |
|---|---|---|
| Base | A spirit | An aperitivo liqueur, vermouth or wine |
| Strength | Moderate; set by the spirit measure | Often lower |
| Glass | Highball | Usually a large wine glass |
| Examples | Gin and Tonic, Moscow Mule, Paloma | Aperol Spritz, Hugo Spritz, Americano |
Using one in place of the other
Not a swap, but a choice of mood: the spritz for an afternoon or before dinner, the highball for any time.