Cocktail recipe
White Russian
Coffee, vodka and cream settle into an unapologetically plush after-dinner classic.
Ingredients
- 60 ml (2 oz) vodka
- 30 ml (1 oz) coffee liqueur
- 30 ml (1 oz) cold heavy cream
- Garnish: none
Preparation
Pour vodka and coffee liqueur over fresh ice in a sturdy rocks glass and give them a short stir. Slowly lay cold cream across the surface for a pale cap; invite the drinker to stir before sipping if they prefer a uniform texture. Skip the cherry: the coffee-and-cream contrast is the visual signature.
Glassware
Rocks glass with cubed ice
History
The White Russian developed from the Black Russian, a vodka-and-coffee-liqueur drink often credited to Belgian bartender Gustave Tops in the late 1940s. Adding cream created a separate cocktail documented in 1960s drink advertising and guides; there is no secure single creator. Its later cultural identity owes much to the Dude’s repeated orders in the 1998 film *The Big Lebowski*, which renewed interest decades after its creation. The cocktail is not Russian in origin: the adjective points to vodka.
Mixology View
The cream should soften the coffee, not bury it. We keep the layers visible at service and let the guest choose when to stir.