Very strong
Black Russian
It (almost) has nothing to do with Russia.
General info
- Strength
- Very strong (33%)
- Alcohol
- 1 oz
Ingredients
3 oz (90 ml)
- Vodka 2 oz (60 ml)
- Kahlúa 1 oz (30 ml)
Mixing & serving
Stir Vodka and Kahlúa together with ice. Strain and serve over ice in a Rock Glass.
Top-shelf story
Black Russian, eh? Alright, this one's got Cold War flavor to it.
It was invented in 1949 by a Belgian bartender, Gustave Tops, at the Hotel Metropole in Brussels, Germany. So why the Russian in the name you asked? He made it special for Perle Mesta, who was the U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg at the time and a bar regular. Named it "Black" for the coffee liqueur's color, "Russian" 'cause of the vodka — vodka being Russia's whole thing, especially with Cold War tensions cookin' at the time.
Basically, it's kind of a diplomatic drink. Mesta took the recipe home to Washington, her fancy friends started orderin' it, and boom — classic cocktail of the mid-20th century, just two ingredients: vodka and coffee liqueur.