Nadia George
April 30, 2024
It does not get more basic than this, Black Russian just like its moniker has only two ingredients – vodka and coffee liquor. Bartenders recommend a 2.5:1 ratio of vodka and coffee liquor, but it depends on individual taste.
Despite the name, it’s hardly a Russian drink. The then-American ambassador to Luxembourg, Perle Mesta, was visiting Brussels in the late 1940s. She was at Hotel Metropole wherein the bartender Gustave Tops concocted a signature drink without prompt for her.
That drink was Black Russian, a mix of vodka and coffee liquor, a perfect reflection of the sombre atmosphere of the time. It was rumoured that she also served the black Russian among the many drinks at her parties. S
Ingredients: 50 ml Vodka , 20 ml Coffee Liqueur
Pick a mixer and fill it up with ice. Pour the ingredients into it. Stir well then strain into an old-fashioned glass filled with ice.
Adjust the liquor. You can have this cocktail at any time of the day but it is more suited to being a nightcap, drunk right after dinner. It’s a bit on the strong side, it's advisable to have some food instead of having it on an empty stomach.