Ingredients
- 3 oz Canadian Whisky
- 3 oz Lemonade
Instructions
Fill the Glass:
- Fill a highball glass with ice cubes.
Add Whisky and Soda:
- Pour 3 oz of Canadian whisky and top off with 3 oz of lemon-lime soda.
Stir and Serve:
- Stir gently and serve immediately to enjoy the smooth, fizzy flavors of your 7 on 7 cocktail.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition:
Where it came from
The 7 on 7 is the same drink as the Seven and Seven, the standard American highball that Seagram's Seven Crown blended whisky and 7 Up lemon-lime soda gave their name to in the late 1960s and 1970s. The cocktail was sold as a brand promotion: Seagram's Seven plus 7 Up equals 7 on 7.
It sits in the whisky-highball family with the Whisky Soda, the Highball, and the Whisky Coke. All four lean on a brown spirit and a soda to stretch the volume. The 7 on 7 picks lemon-lime soda as the mixer, which is what gives it a brighter, sweeter character than the cola or soda-water versions.
Best ordered at a casual bar, a sports bar, or a barbecue. The drink is a workhorse highball, not a craft-cocktail pour, and that is exactly the point.
What it tastes like
Whisky warmth up front, lemon-lime soda sweetness through the middle, a soft fizzy finish. The Canadian whisky is grain-forward and lighter than bourbon, which lets the lemon-lime soda carry more of the cocktail's character.
Around 16 to 18 percent ABV in the glass once the soda dilutes the whisky. Three ounces of Canadian whisky in roughly six to eight ounces of finished drink. A real two-and-a-half standard drinks per glass.
The technique
Fill a highball glass or a Collins glass with ice cubes. Pour three ounces of Canadian whisky over the ice. Top with three ounces of lemon-lime soda. Stir gently with a bar spoon to combine.
Use cold soda straight from the fridge and cold whisky if possible. The cocktail is built for fast service: pour, top, stir, drink. Garnish optional: a lemon wheel on the rim is the period-appropriate finish.
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Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that make or break this drink.
The Canadian whisky
- Use
- Seagram's Seven Crown is the original. Crown Royal, Canadian Club and Forty Creek all work.
- Skip
- Bourbon. The vanilla and oak notes fight the lemon-lime soda.
- Why
- Canadian whisky is grain-forward, lighter and slightly sweet. The lemon-lime soda sits well on top of it. Bourbon is heavier and woodier; the cocktail collapses into a bourbon highball with a sweet edge.
The lemon-lime soda
- Use
- 7 Up, Sprite, or any clear lemon-lime soda.
- Skip
- Lemonade. Different acid balance and wrong fizz curve.
- Why
- Lemon-lime soda is the load-bearing mixer. The carbonation lifts the whisky; the sweet-tart citrus balances the grain warmth. Lemonade is too sweet and too acidic; tonic water adds bitterness that fights the whisky.
The ice
- Use
- Standard cubed ice, three or four cubes.
- Skip
- Crushed ice. Melts too fast.
- Why
- Cubed ice gives the cocktail steady cold without rapid dilution. The 7 on 7 is built to be drunk over fifteen to twenty minutes, and crushed ice waters it down too quickly.
Three Variations
Three real ways bartenders riff on this drink. Same idea, three different jackets.
The standard build
- 7 on 7, on ice
- Three ounces of Canadian whisky topped with three ounces of lemon-lime soda over ice in a highball.
The long build
- 7 on 7, in a Collins
- Same ingredients in a Collins glass with more ice and an extra ounce of soda. Drinks lighter and longer.
The Aussie build
- 7 on 7, with extra lime
- Same base, with a quarter of a fresh lime squeezed in. Adds a citrus brightness that the standard cocktail lacks.
What if I don't have…
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
Bourbon or rye. The cocktail leans heavier and woodier; pulls toward a Whisky and Coke profile if bourbon is used.
Sprite, Sierra Mist, or any clear lemon-lime soda. All work; the brand does not matter.
A Collins glass, a pint glass, or a tall rocks glass. The 7 on 7 is unfussy and works in any tall glass with ice.
The garnish is optional. Skip it. The cocktail does not need it for flavour.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
What is in a 7 on 7?
Three ounces of Canadian whisky topped with three ounces of lemon-lime soda over ice in a highball glass.
How strong is a 7 on 7?
Around 16 to 18 percent ABV in the glass once the soda dilutes the whisky. Three ounces of Canadian whisky in roughly six to eight ounces of finished drink.
What does a 7 on 7 taste like?
Whisky warmth up front, lemon-lime soda sweetness through the middle, a soft fizzy finish. Easy, fizzy, and unfussy.
Why is it called 7 on 7?
Named for Seagram's Seven Crown blended Canadian whisky topped with 7 Up lemon-lime soda. The 1960s and 1970s brand promotion gave the cocktail its number.
Is the 7 on 7 the same as a Seven and Seven?
Yes. Same drink, same ingredients, same ratios. The 7 on 7 spelling is more common on bar menus; the Seven and Seven is more common in print and in the Seagram's advertising.
Can I use bourbon instead of Canadian whisky?
It changes the cocktail. Bourbon is heavier and woodier; the lemon-lime soda fights it. Stick with Canadian whisky for the original flavour profile.
Can I use a different soda?
Any clear lemon-lime soda works. 7 Up is the original; Sprite, Sierra Mist and Schweppes all produce a similar drink. Skip lemonade and skip tonic water; both pull the cocktail off-balance.
What kind of glass should I serve it in?
A highball glass or a Collins glass. The cocktail is around six to eight ounces of finished drink and needs the volume.
Should I add a garnish?
A lemon wheel on the rim is period-appropriate but optional. The cocktail does not need it for flavour.
What other cocktails are similar?
A Whisky Soda, a Whisky Coke, a Highball and a Mojito. All four use a spirit and a soda to stretch the volume.
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