Black Russian
Build ∙ 2 min ∙ 32.3% ABV ∙
The Black Russian is a two-ingredient spirit-forward cocktail of vodka and coffee liqueur, built over ice in an old-fashioned glass. Dense and dark, with a bittersweet coffee pull upfront and a warm vodka backbone that lingers into a slightly syrupy finish — suited to a slow after-dinner sip.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Pour the ingredients into an ice-filled old fashioned glass: Vodka 50 mlCoffee liqueur 20 ml
- Stir gently
- Note: White Russian – float fresh cream on top and stir in slowly
Tips
- Build directly over large cubes in the old-fashioned glass; big ice melts slower and keeps the 5:2 vodka-to-coffee-liqueur ratio from getting watery.
- Pour both over the ice together and stir gently, as the build does - a couple of turns is enough to marry them without watering the drink down.
- Use a fresh, full-bodied coffee liqueur rather than a thin or old bottle, since it makes up nearly a third of the pour and carries most of the flavor.
- Stir just 3-4 times with a bar spoon; over-stirring dilutes the drink and mutes the coffee liqueur against the vodka's high proof.
History
The Black Russian is a vodka and coffee liqueur cocktail first documented in 1949, credited to Gustave Tops, a Belgian bartender at the Hotel Metropole in Brussels. He is said to have created it in honor of Perle Mesta, then the United States Ambassador to Luxembourg and a well-known Washington hostess, who was a guest at the hotel. Despite its name, the drink has no connection to Russia; it draws its name from vodka, a spirit associated with Russia, and from the dark color of the coffee liqueur. The recipe later served as the base for the White Russian, made by adding cream. This IBA-listed version reflects the same simple two-ingredient build long attributed to Tops, served built over ice in an old-fashioned glass.
FAQ
How do you make a Black Russian IBA?
Build vodka and coffee liqueur directly over ice in an old-fashioned glass and stir briefly to combine. No shaking or straining is involved, which keeps the drink dense and clear rather than aerated or diluted.
What is the recipe for a Black Russian IBA?
A Black Russian is made with vodka and coffee liqueur in a roughly 5:2 ratio, built over ice in an old-fashioned glass with no garnish. It is vegan, vegetarian, and lactose-free, and comes in at about 168 calories per serving.
How do you make a perfect Black Russian IBA?
The key is balance and cold, undiluted pouring: build the vodka and coffee liqueur over a full glass of large ice cubes and stir just enough to combine without over-diluting. Because coffee liqueur is thick and sweet, measuring it carefully keeps the drink from tasting syrupy rather than spirit-forward.
What is in a Black Russian IBA?
Vodka and coffee liqueur, built over ice with no garnish. The two-ingredient simplicity is the drink's defining feature, and it is served in an old-fashioned glass.
Is a Black Russian IBA shaken or stirred?
Neither — it is built, meaning the ingredients are poured directly into the serving glass over ice and briefly stirred, rather than shaken or stirred in a separate mixing vessel.
