White Russian
Caucasian
A rocks-glass drink of vodka and coffee liqueur topped with a layer of cream, tasting smooth, sweet and lightly roasted.
- 21.8% ABV
- Built in the glass
- 2 min
- Rocks glass
- creamy
- sweet
- rich
about 1.4 standard drinks (US, 14 g of alcohol). Estimated after dilution with ice.
Ingredients
- 1¾ ozVodka
- ¾ ozCoffee liqueurGives the drink its sweetness and roasted coffee flavor.
- 1 ozHeavy creamPour it last, over the back of a spoon, so it floats.
Ice: Ice cubes
Method
- Fill a rocks glass with ice cubes.
- Pour 50 ml vodka and 20 ml coffee liqueur over the ice.
- Pour 30 ml heavy cream slowly over the back of a barspoon so it floats on top of the drink.
- Stir gently a few times to blend the cream into the drink. Serve without garnish.
Tips
- Use cold heavy cream and pour it slowly over a spoon for a clean layer before stirring.
- Some bars shake the cream with the vodka and coffee liqueur, then strain over fresh ice. The IBA version floats the cream instead.
- Leave out the cream and you have a Black Russian.
History
The White Russian is a Black Russian with cream added. The Black Russian is often credited to a Brussels bartender in 1949, and the creamy version appears to date from the 1960s. The film The Big Lebowski (1998) later renewed interest in the drink.
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