Autumn Highball

Flavor Profile and Tasting Notes for Autumn Highball

Sheringham Distillery creates the Autumn Highball as a sophisticated seasonal cocktail that balances herbaceous gin botanicals with sweet vermouth’s complex richness. This refreshing highball delivers crisp effervescence from club soda while rosemary adds aromatic depth, making it perfect for transitional weather when you want something lighter than winter cocktails but more substantial than summer drinks.

How Seaside Gin Enhances the Autumn Flavor Experience

The first sip reveals Sheringham’s Seaside Gin botanicals mingling with vermouth’s caramel and vanilla notes. The kelp in Seaside Gin adds subtle salinity that balances the vermouth’s sweetness perfectly. Club soda lifts these flavors while rosemary’s piney aroma hits your nose before each sip. The finish stays clean and crisp with lingering herbs and a gentle sweetness that invites another taste.

Recipe Variations and Customizations

This versatile cocktail welcomes creative modifications to suit different tastes and occasions. You can adjust the sweetness by varying the vermouth ratio or switching between sweet and dry varieties.

Popular Autumn Highball Variations

• Replace rosemary with thyme or sage for different herbal notes
• Add a splash of apple cider for extra autumn flavor
• Use Beacon Gin for a more floral profile
• Try ginger ale instead of club soda for spicy sweetness
• Create a lower-ABV version with 1 oz gin and extra soda
• Serve warm by using hot apple cider instead of club soda

Equipment, Preparation and Make-Ahead Tips for Autumn Highball

This simple cocktail requires minimal equipment, making it perfect for both home bartenders and entertaining. You’ll need a highball glass, jigger for measuring, and bar spoon for gentle stirring.

Essential Preparation Steps

• Chill glasses in freezer for 10 minutes before serving
• Pre-measure gin and vermouth in small bottles for parties
• Prepare rosemary sprigs by washing and patting dry
• Use large ice cubes to minimize dilution
• Keep club soda refrigerated until serving
• Batch the gin and vermouth mixture up to 2 hours ahead
• Avoid over-stirring which releases too much carbonation

Perfect Occasions and Food Pairings for Autumn Highball

This cocktail shines during fall gatherings when the weather turns crisp but isn’t quite cold enough for heavier drinks. Autumn entertaining calls for versatile cocktails that complement seasonal flavors without overwhelming them.

Ideal Food Matches with Gin Highballs

The herbal notes from rosemary and gin botanicals pair beautifully with roasted vegetables and autumn produce. Serve alongside butternut squash soup, mushroom tartlets, or aged cheeses like gruyere and manchego. The cocktail’s effervescence cuts through rich dishes while the vermouth’s sweetness complements caramelized flavors. For dessert, try pairing with apple tarts or pear galettes where the fruit echoes the cocktail’s subtle sweetness.

Cocktail History and Similar Drinks

The highball family represents one of cocktail history’s most enduring categories, traditionally combining spirit, mixer, and carbonation in tall glasses. This Autumn Highball modernizes the classic formula by incorporating sweet vermouth, creating a bridge between traditional highballs and Manhattan-style cocktails.

Related Gin Cocktails in the Highball Family

• Gin & Tonic – the quintessential gin highball
• Tom Collins – gin highball with lemon and sugar
• The Sheringham G&T featuring local botanicals
• Gin Rickey – lime juice and soda with gin
• Floradora – gin with ginger beer and raspberry
• Frozen Rain Highball for a winter variation

Nutritional Information and Dietary Considerations for Autumn Highball

This cocktail ranks among the lighter options in the craft cocktail world, containing approximately 150-170 calories per serving. The calorie content comes primarily from the alcohol in gin and vermouth, with minimal added sugars compared to cocktails using syrups or liqueurs. Sweet vermouth contributes about 3-4 grams of sugar per ounce, while the club soda adds zero calories or sugar.

The Autumn Highball meets most dietary requirements as a naturally gluten-free and vegan cocktail. All Sheringham spirits maintain gluten-free status through their distillation process. For lower-calorie versions, reduce the vermouth to 0.5 oz or use dry vermouth instead of sweet. Those avoiding alcohol can create a mocktail using non-alcoholic gin alternatives while maintaining the rosemary and soda elements. Sheringham Distillery offers an extensive collection of craft cocktail recipes to suit every dietary preference and occasion.