Black Russian#Variations
{{short description|Cocktail of vodka and coffee liqueur}}
{{about|a cocktail|the African diaspora in Russia|Afro-Russian| the armed group in the Central African Republic|Black Russians|other uses}}
{{Infobox cocktail
| iba = yes
| sourcelink = black-russian
| name = Black Russian
| image = Black_Russian.jpg
| caption = A black Russian cocktail
| type = cocktail
| flaming =
| vodka = yes
| served = rocks
| garnish =
| drinkware = old
| ingredients = * 50 ml Vodka
- 20 ml Coffee liqueur
| prep = Pour the ingredients into the old fashioned glass filled with ice cubes. Stir gently.
| timing = After dinner
| notes =
| footnotes =
}}
The Black Russian is a cocktail of vodka and coffee liqueur. It contains 50 ml vodka and 20 ml coffee liqueur, per IBA specified ingredients.{{Cite web|title=Black Russian|url=https://iba-world.com/black-russian/|url-status=live|access-date=December 6, 2021|website=IBA World|date=29 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210609011406/https://iba-world.com/black-russian/|archive-date=2021-06-09}}
The drink is made by pouring the vodka and coffee liqueur over ice cubes or cracked ice in an old-fashioned glass and stirring.{{Cite web | title = SpiritDrinks.com - Black Russian | publisher = SpiritDrinks | url = http://www.spiritdrinks.com/cocktails/Black_Russian.asp | access-date = July 12, 2010}} The Black Russian is often garnished with a lemon slice and a Luxardo maraschino cherry on a stick.{{Cite web|title=Black Russian|url=https://www.diffordsguide.com/cocktails/recipe/236/black-russian|access-date=January 24, 2022|website=Difford's Guide for Discerning Drinkers}}
History
The Black Russian cocktail first appeared in 1949 and is ascribed to Gustave Tops, a Belgian barman, who created it at the Hotel Metropole in Brussels in honor of Perle Mesta, then United States Ambassador to Luxembourg.{{Cite web | last = Regan| first = Gary | title = Behind The Drink: Black Russian | publisher = Liquor.com | date = 8 September 2008 | url = https://www.liquor.com/articles/behind-the-drink-the-black-russian/ | access-date = 6 September 2019}} The cocktail owes its name to the use of vodka, a typical Russian spirit, and the blackness of the coffee liqueur.
Variations
- Dirty Black Russian, Tall Black Russian, Australian Black Russian or Colorado Bulldog: served in a highball glass and topped up with cola.{{Cite web | title = Tall Black Russian | publisher = Fluid Trade | url = http://www.fluidtrade.co.uk/cocktailview.aspx?CocktailID=303&x=0 | access-date = June 8, 2010 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091103184824/http://www.fluidtrade.co.uk/cocktailview.aspx?CocktailID=303&x=0 | archive-date = November 3, 2009 }}
- Black Magic: served with a dash of lemon juice and a lemon twist to garnish.{{Cite web | title = Black Magic | publisher = in-the-spirit.co.uk | url = http://www.in-the-spirit.co.uk/cocktails/view_cocktail.php?id=35 | access-date = June 8, 2010 | archive-date = November 5, 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161105062645/http://www.in-the-spirit.co.uk/cocktails/view_cocktail.php?id=35 | url-status = dead }}
- Irish Russian or Smooth Black Russian: served with a head of Guinness.{{Cite web| title = Smooth Black Russian recipe| publisher = DrinksMixer.com| url = http://www.drinksmixer.com/drink2057.html| access-date = June 8, 2010| archive-date = May 17, 2020| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200517021531/http://www.drinksmixer.com/drink2057.html| url-status = dead}}
- Brown Russian: served in a highball glass and topped with ginger ale.{{Cite web | title = Brown Russian | publisher = SpiritDrinks | url = http://spiritdrinks.com/cocktails/BrownRussian.asp | access-date = July 23, 2010}}
- Belarusian or white Russian: served with milk or cream.
- Mudslide: served with Irish cream, either fresh cream or ice cream, with or without chocolate sauce rim.{{Cite web | title = Mudslide | publisher = Difford's Guide | url = https://www.diffordsguide.com/en-au/cocktails/recipe/1374/mudslide | access-date = 26 July 2021}}
- Mind Eraser: topped up with sparkling water.{{Cite web|title=The Mind Eraser: Vodka Drinks We Love|url=https://www.liquor.com/recipes/mind-eraser/|access-date=2021-06-13|website=Liquor.com|language=en}}
- Paralyzer: Made with cola and milk in addition to vodka and coffee liqueur.{{Cite web | title = Vodka Paralyzer| publisher = All Recipes | url = https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/152922/vodka-paralyzer/ | access-date = 11 March 2023}}
Cultural impact
- The cocktail is mentioned by the Italian judicial and criminal witness Alberto Biggiogero during testimony in the trial concerning the death of Giuseppe Uva, a case covered by the television program Un giorno in pretura.
- In the film The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear, the protagonist Frank Drebin (played by Leslie Nielsen) orders the famous drink in one scene.
See also
- List of cocktails
- {{portal-inline|Liquor}}