 A mixed white Russian | |
| Type | Cocktail |
|---|---|
| Ingredients |
|
| Base spirit | Vodka,Coffee liqueur |
| Standard drinkware | Old fashioned glass |
| Served | On the rocks: poured over ice |
| Preparation | Pour coffee liqueur and vodka into an old fashioned glass filled with ice. Float fresh cream on top and stir slowly. |
Awhite Russian is acocktail made withvodka,coffee liqueur (e.g.Kahlúa orTia Maria) andcream served with ice in anold fashioned glass.
The traditional cocktail known as ablack Russian, which first appeared in 1949, becomes a white Russian with the addition of cream. Neither drink has any known Russian origin, but both are so-named due to vodka being the primary ingredient. It is unclear which drink preceded the other.[1][2]
TheOxford English Dictionary[3] refers to the first mention ofwhite Russian in the sense of a cocktail as appearing in California'sOakland Tribune on November 21, 1965.[4] It was placed in the newspaper as an insert: "White Russian. 1 oz. each Southern, vodka, cream",[5] with "Southern" referring to Coffee Southern, a short-lived brand of coffee liqueur bySouthern Comfort.[6]
The white Russian saw a surge in popularity after the 1998 release of the filmThe Big Lebowski. Throughout the movie, it appears as the beverage of choice for the protagonist, Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski.[7] On a number of occasions he refers to the drink as a "Caucasian".[8]
As with all cocktails, various modes of preparation exist, varying according to the recipes and styles of particular bars ormixologists. Most common varieties have adjusted amounts of vodka or coffee liqueur, or mixed brands of coffee liqueur. Shaking the cream in order to thicken it prior to pouring it over the drink is also common. Sometimes the drink is prepared on the stove with hot coffee for a warm treat on cold days. Conversely, vanillaice cream has been known to be used, rather than cream, to make itfrozen.[9][10]
Many variants of the cocktail exist, such as a mudslide, Bolshevik, or blonde Russian (made withIrish cream), anAnna Kournikova (named after thetennis player, made withskimmed milk, i.e. a "skinny" white Russian), a white Cuban (made withrum instead of vodka), ablack Russian (vodka and coffee liqueur), or a dirty Russian (withchocolate syrup added).[11][12][13] A Colorado bulldog or tall black Russian adds a splash ofcola.[14][12] A white Mexican substitutestequila for vodka.[15]
