Black Russian
Vodka and coffee liqueur over ice. Two ingredients, invented in Brussels in 1949 for an American ambassador, and the parent of the White Russian.
Built to the standard modern spec; not yet tested in our kitchen. How we test.
The recipe.
Scaling adjusts quantities only. Prepare shaken drinks in individual portions.
Let’s make a good drink.
Fill a rocks glass with ice.
Add the vodka and the coffee liqueur.
Stir briefly to combine and chill.
Serve without garnish, or with a lemon twist if you want some lift.
A thoughtful finish
- The ratio is two to one, and the drink is as good as the coffee liqueur. A dry, high-proof cold-brew liqueur makes a much less sweet version than the classic bottle.
- A lemon twist is not traditional but it is a real improvement: the oil cuts the sweetness.
- Serve it over one large cube so it does not dilute into coffee-flavoured water.
Common mistakes
- Equal parts. The drink becomes a liqueur with vodka in it.
- A cheap coffee liqueur. With two ingredients there is nowhere to hide.
- Topping with cola unless you want a Colorado Bulldog or a Dirty Black Russian — different drinks.
A few good questions.
What is the difference between a Black Russian and a White Russian?
Cream. A White Russian is a Black Russian with cream floated or stirred in.
Can I use rum or whiskey?
Yes: with aged rum it is sometimes called a Black Cuban or a Black Jamaican; with bourbon it is a Black Kentucky. All work.
Is there a version with cola?
A Black Russian topped with cola is a Colorado Bulldog in some bars and a Dirty Black Russian in others. It is a long, sweet drink.
Why is it called Russian?
Vodka was still thought of as a Russian spirit in 1949, and the name was a joke on the Cold War for an American ambassador.
Variations
- White Russian — Add cream.
- Espresso Martini — Vodka, coffee liqueur and espresso, shaken.
- Brave Bull — Tequila in place of vodka.
- Mudslide — Vodka, coffee liqueur and Irish cream.
Where it comes from
1949 · Brussels · Gustave Tops · Hotel Metropole
Gustave Tops, head bartender at the Hotel Metropole in Brussels, created the drink in 1949 for Perle Mesta, the United States ambassador to Luxembourg — a Washington hostess so famous for her parties that Irving Berlin wrote a musical about her. The name comes from the vodka and the colour, with a Cold War wink. It needed nothing else for twenty years; the White Russian, with cream, followed in the 1960s and then eclipsed it, especially after The Big Lebowski in 1998. The Black Russian remains the better drink for anyone who likes coffee more than cream.
Sources
- Hotel Metropole Brussels, house history, 1949 (archive)
- David Wondrich, Imbibe!, 2015 (book)
- Robert Simonson, A Proper Drink, 2016 (book)
Strength. About 1.67 US standard drinks at an estimated 29% ABV, estimated from the ingredients and technique, not measured. What that means.
A little character in every sip.
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