Why do drinking several high balls barely gets me drunk compared to having 3 beers?

I’m 34 and had mostly beer and wine all my life. Also your average red bull vodka, rum with coke, at parties, etc.

After living for a couple of years in Japan I discovered this drink called High ball (I’m from Spain we don’t have that) which is basically 2 fingers of whisky mixed with sparkling water and sometimes a few drops of lemon juice.

I thought it was weird at first but then I noticed whisky consumed this way put me in a completely different drunk mode. I don’t know how to explain it but when I’m beer drunk I’m “stupid drunk” and with whisky I can still have control over my thoughts and actions and feel happy without the dizziness of beer or sweeter spirit mixes.

My theory is that since I use Vichy Catalan, a natural salty sparkling water with tons of minerals, I get hydrated and my electrolytes get instantly refilled after every high ball glass. I could drink 7 or 8 glasses and still wake up next morning with no hangover whatsoever and ready to go to work.