Making a modern equivalent of a Wilson highball


Since I like looking at old photos, I often find myself at the Duke University website, which specializes in old-fashioned advertising. Of course, I'm mostly interested in the architecture, and the cars, but this image kinda stuck in my mind, so I did some research on what this gentleman was preparing, which was called a highball. By the way, this is the Broad Street Train Station in Philadelphia in 1900.


I'm not really a serious drinking man, but I've been known to quaff a few beers with friends, and I enjoy a gin-and-tonic on special occasions. And on the rare times that I've drunk whiskey, I've just had it "on the rocks", which means over ice. So exactly what this gentleman was doing, in 1900, puzzled me, and I've been doing some research, and will be creating a modern version of it later tonight.

First of all, he is filling his glass with seltzer water, which is just plain water that has been carbonated. Bubbly water! In those days it was a process that used a special bottle, which you filled with water and CO2, and then sprayed it into a glass. I'd only seen them in use by the Three Stooges, so these devices were popular through the 1940s. After that, only purists insisted on seltzer bottles, as seltzer water could be purchased in bottles already carbonated, like the bottle I bought today at Walmart for 77 cents.


Looking closely, I see that the drink is served in a tall glass over ice. I'm sure that back in 1900 this was quite a showy drink to offer to guests - carbonated water and ice, but nowadays all you need is 77 cents and a freezer. I have ice.


Of course, Wilson whiskey is no longer made, so I selected a bottle of whiskey that started with a W. For purposes of my experiment, that's close enough. I'm not exactly sure what the correct ratio is supposed to be, as this billboard from Times Square just shows it pouring out of the bottle, and the older billboard shows some type of glass, presumably used for measuring. Maybe it's supposed to be a shot glass? I have shot glasses here that I can use tonight.


It looks like I have everything I need. I won't be wearing a jacket and a dress shirt with cufflinks, but otherwise it should be just like 1900. That's all.
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