Smoky, sweet and salty with a lingering umami note, here’s how to make The Seaside, a Nori Whisky Highball with nori seaweed syrup.

The Seaside Nori Whisky Highball – Photo © Cocktails & Bars
Highballs are an underrated category. The combination of spirit and soda water over ice is easy to prepare and makes for sessionable drinking. The Seaside Nori Whisky Highball is an idea way of enjoying whisky during the hot summer months. It’s tall, sparkling and refreshing and makes use of the nori seaweed syrup recipe we shared in our cocktail project series.
Any peated whisky can be used, be it smoky and sweet such as Ailsa Bay, or a peated whisky with distinct maritime notes such as Laphroaig and Talisker. The drink is easy to prepare and built in a highball glass over ice. Toasted nori sheets which are used in sushi, make up the garnish which is served on the side and makes a salty snack to enjoy as a pre-dinner drink.
With its smoky, sweet and salty with a lingering umami note, it makes a good aperitif and a light accompaniment to cold seafood dishes.
The Seaside Nori Whisky Highball Recipe
Original recipe created by Cocktails & Bars
Ingredients
- 30ml peated whisky (such as Laphroaig, Talisker, Ailsa Bay)
- 15ml nori seaweed syrup
- 5ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1/2 barspoon soy sauce
- soda water to top
- nori sheets and soy sauce (for garnish)
- ice
Glassware: highball
Garnish: toasted nori sheets
Method
To make the drink, build it in a highball glass over ice. Add the peated whisky, seaweed syrup, freshly squeezed lemon juice, soy sauce and give it a gentle stir to combine. Garnish with a toasted nori sheet with soy sauce.
*To make toasted nori sheets garnish, brush the length of a nori sheet with the soy sauce. Fold in half, then brush the top with more soy sauce. (Optional: scatter some white sesame seeds on top). Bake in a 160oC fan forced oven for approximately 15 minutes until crisp.