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{{short description|Cocktail made with vodka and coffee liqueur}}
:''This article is about the alcoholic beverage. For other meanings, see [[White Russian]].''
{{infobox cocktail
| iba = no
| sourcelink = wr
⚫
| name = White Russian
| image = White-Russian.jpg
| caption = A mixed white Russian
| type = cocktail
| vodka = yes
| coffee = yes
| served = rocks
| drinkware = old
| ingredients = * 5 cl (5 parts) [[vodka]]
* 2 cl (2 parts) [[List of liqueurs#Coffee liqueurs|coffee liqueur]]
* 3 cl (3 parts) fresh [[cream]]
| prep = Pour coffee liqueur and vodka into an old fashioned glass filled with ice. Float fresh cream on top and stir slowly.
}}
⚫
A '''white Russian''' is a [[cocktail]] made with [[vodka]], [[coffee liqueur]] (e.g. [[Kahlúa]] or [[Tia Maria]]) and [[cream]] served with ice in an [[old fashioned glass]].


==History==
[[Image:White-Russian-01.jpg|thumb|White Russian served in an [[old fashioned glass]] with milk]]
The traditional cocktail known as a [[black Russian]], which first appeared in 1949, becomes a white Russian with the addition of cream. Neither drink has any known Russian origin, but both are so-named due to vodka being the primary ingredient. It is unclear which drink preceded the other.<ref name="sicard">{{Cite web | last = Sicard | first = Cheri | title = Featured Cocktails – Black Russian and White Russian | publisher = FabulousFoods.com | date = August 6, 2007 | url = http://www.fabulousfoods.com/index.php?option=com_resource&controller=article&article=21219&category_id=237&Itemid=177 | access-date = 2010-06-08 | archive-date = 2013-04-25 | archive-url = https://archive.today/20130425210303/http://www.fabulousfoods.com/articles/21219/featured-cocktails-black-russian-and-white-russian | url-status = dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/08-10/10-famous-cocktails-and-where-they-were-born.html|title=10 Famous Cocktails and Where They Were Born|work=bootsnall.com|access-date=2017-02-09 }}</ref>


The ''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oed.com/public/update0706/loginpage|title=June 2007 Update : Oxford English Dictionary|work=oed.com|access-date=2017-02-09 }}</ref> refers to the first mention of ''white Russian'' in the sense of a cocktail as appearing in California's ''[[Oakland Tribune]]'' on November 21, 1965.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nicoledigiose.com/2012/08/10/the-history-of-the-white-russian/|title=The History of the White Russian|date=August 10, 2012|work=nicoledigiose.com|access-date=2017-02-09 }}</ref> It was placed in the newspaper as an insert: "White Russian. 1 oz. each Southern, vodka, cream",<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia | title = White Russian, n. and a. | encyclopedia = Oxford English Dictionary | date = June 2007 | url = http://dictionary.oed.com/cgi/entry/50284859 | access-date = 2010-05-06 }}</ref> with "Southern" referring to Coffee Southern, a short-lived brand of coffee liqueur by [[Southern Comfort]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://thealcoholenthusiast.com/2011/05/11/an-enthusiasts-guide-to-cocktails-the-white-russian/ |title=An Enthusiast's Guide to Cocktails: the White Russian|publisher=The Alcohol Enthusiast |date=May 11, 2011|access-date=2011-12-02 }}</ref>
⚫
A '''White Russian''' is a sweet [[cocktail]] made from [[vodka]], [[Kahlúa]] or other [[List of liqueurs#Coffee liqueurs|coffee liqueur]] such as [[Tia Maria]], and [[milk]] or [[cream]], in an [[old-fashioned glass]] with ice.


The white Russian saw a surge in popularity after the 1998 release of the film ''[[The Big Lebowski]]''. Throughout the movie, it appears as the beverage of choice for the protagonist, Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski.<ref name="HuffPostDowd">{{Cite news |last=Boardman |first=Madeline |title=Jeff Dowd, Real 'Big Lebowski' Dude, Talks White Russians, Jeff Bridges And Bowling |work=The Huffington Post |date=2013-03-06 |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/06/jeff-dowd-real-big-lebowski-dude_n_2814930.html |access-date=2015-04-24 |archive-date=2020-12-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201225022623/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/jeff-dowd-real-big-lebowski-dude_n_2814930 |url-status=live }}</ref> On a number of occasions he refers to the drink as a "Caucasian".<ref>{{cite news|last=Kurutz|first=Steven|title=White Russians Arise, This Time at a Bowling Alley|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/03/dining/03lebo.html|access-date=2014-01-09 |newspaper=The New York Times|date=2 December 2008}}</ref>
=== Basic Recipe ===
:1 part vodka
⚫
:1 part coffee liqueur
:1 part milk or light cream


⚫
==Preparation==
Pour over ice in a tall or old-fashion glass; stir lightly.
[[File:White Russian Cocktail.jpg|thumb|left|An unmixed white Russian]]
As with all cocktails, various modes of preparation exist, varying according to the recipes and styles of particular bars or [[mixologist]]s. Most common varieties have adjusted amounts of vodka or coffee liqueur, or mixed brands of coffee liqueur. Shaking the cream in order to thicken it prior to pouring it over the drink is also common. Sometimes the drink is prepared on the stove with hot coffee for a warm treat on cold days. Conversely, vanilla [[ice cream]] has been known to be used, rather than cream, to make it [[frozen alcoholic drink|frozen]].<ref>{{cite web | title=Nostalgic Frozen Kahlúa White Russian Cocktail & Holiday Entertaining Tips | website=Cooking in Stilettos | date=2018-06-12 | url=https://cookinginstilettos.com/frozen-kahlua-white-russian-cocktail-and-holiday-entertaining-tips/ | access-date=2019-02-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Frozen White Russians! | website=Anne Taintor | date=2015-07-10 | url=https://annetaintor.com/frozen-white-russians/ | access-date=2019-02-03 | archive-date=2020-10-30 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030214838/https://annetaintor.com/frozen-white-russians/ | url-status=dead }}</ref>


=== Common Alternatives ===
===Variations===
<!-- Please don't add any more variations without also including a reliable source -->
The most common alternative involves using 2 parts vodka instead of 1. The amount of cream to be used varies from just a splash to 3 parts or more, depending on how hard of a drink is to be served; in a typical 7oz rocks glass filled with ice and 2 shots of alcohol, there is usually only room for 1 part cream or less.
Many variants of the cocktail exist, such as a mudslide, Bolshevik, or blonde Russian (made with [[Irish cream]]), an [[Anna Kournikova]] (named after the [[tennis]] player, made with [[skimmed milk]], i.e. a "skinny" white Russian), a white Cuban (made with [[rum]] instead of vodka), a [[black Russian]] (vodka and coffee liqueur), or a dirty Russian (with [[chocolate syrup]] added).<ref>{{cite web |title=Vodka Drinks We Love: The Black Russian |url=https://www.liquor.com/recipes/black-russian/ |website=Liquor.com |access-date=12 June 2023 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Barnes">{{Cite web | title=The Snows of Revolution | author=Bingo Barnes| work=The Boise Weekly |date=November 1, 2006 | url=http://www.boiseweekly.com/boise/the-snows-of-revolution/Content?oid=930015 | access-date=2010-12-31 | archive-date=2012-04-07 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120407050339/http://www.boiseweekly.com/boise/the-snows-of-revolution/Content?oid=930015 | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | title=White Russian | publisher=Conan's Pub | year=2006 | url=http://www.conans-pub.com/cocktails/white-russian.html | access-date=2010-05-06 | archive-date=2011-10-08 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008195926/http://www.conans-pub.com/cocktails/white-russian.html | url-status=dead }}</ref> A Colorado bulldog or tall black Russian adds a splash of [[cola]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kahlua.com/us/drinks/classic/colorado-bulldog/|title = Colorado Bulldog}}</ref><ref name="Barnes"/> A white Mexican substitutes [[tequila]] for vodka.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.instructables.com/White-Mexican-Cocktail-El-Guerro/|title = White Mexican}}</ref>


⚫
==See also==
⚫
=== Preparation Notes and History ===
{{Portal|Liquor|Coffee}}
Keeping the vodka chilled in a freezer (remaining liquid due to the alcohol content) helps keep the drink cold, allowing less ice to be used. Although it is the most commonly used coffee liqueur use in White Russians, Kahlúa is very syrupy and flavored of Mexican coffee, so using alternative coffee liqueurs or a mixture of coffee liqueurs is a good way to customize a White Russian to fit the taste of the drinker, or to create a distinctive White Russian recipe for a particular bar. Using cream instead of milk produces a smoother, richer beverage, somewhat masking the bite of poor quality alcohol, though the drink is still smoother with well distilled vodka. The cream can also be shaken alone with ice until it begins to thicken, then poured over coffee liqueur, vodka, and ice in order to make the drink richer.
⚫
*[[List of cocktails]]
* [[List of coffee beverages]]


==References==
The drink is usually mixed by first pouring vodka into the ice-filled glass, then coffee liqueur, then cream. It can then be served immediately with a straw included for the drinker to mix it. It can also be lightly shaken in a [[cocktail shaker]] (one or two shakes is enough) or stirred in its own glass by the bartender. Home drinkers sometimes tap the ice with their fingers to mix the drink.
{{reflist}}


==External links==
The drink is not traditionally [[Russia]]n, but is so named due to vodka being a key ingredient. The "[[White movement|White Russians]]" were an anti-Bolshevik group from the [[Russian Civil War]].
{{Commons category|White Russian (cocktail)}}

{{Coffee|nocat=1}}
=== Other preparations ===
* A '''[[Black Russian]]''' is a White Russian with no cream. It is composed of vodka and coffee liqueur, [[on the rocks]]. Also a [[Tall Black Russian]] can be made by adding cola in a tall glass.
* An '''Irish Russian''', sometimes referred to as a '''Smooth Black Russian''' or (mistakenly) '''Black Irish''', can be made by preparing a Tall Black Russian but topped with enough [[Guinness]] to give it a head.
* A '''Black Irish''' can be made by stirring 3 parts Irish whiskey, 1 part Kahlua over ice. Garnished with a [[Maraschino cherry]].
* A "Russian Bulldog" is a White Russian with cola to taste.
* A '''Colorado Bulldog''' is a White Russian made with vanilla vodka with cola to taste.
* A '''White Cuban''' is a White Russian in which the vodka is replaced with rum.
* A '''White Canuck''' is a White Russian served with Polar Ice Vodka and two maraschino cherries, popularized at Barney's in [[London, Ontario]] in the late 1990s.
* A '''Russian Yoo-Hoo''' is similar to the White Russian, but replaces the milk with Yoo-Hoo Chocolate Drink.
* A '''Twiz Twist''' is similar to the White Russian, but replaces the milk with licorice extract.
* A '''Bolshevik''' or '''Blonde Russian''' is another variation in which the cream is replaced with Irish Creme liqueur, typically [[Baileys Irish Cream]].
* A '''Cocaine Lady''' is like a Blonde Russian, but with peppermint liqueur and milk
* A '''Larry's White Russian''' is a White Russian with coconut flavoured [[Light rum|white rum]] (typically [[Malibu Rum]]) added.
* A '''White Canadian''' is a White Russian made with goat's milk instead of cow's milk.
* A '''White Vegan''' is a White Russian made with [[soy milk]] instead of cow's milk.
* A '''Brown Russian''' is similar to the Russian Yoo-Hoo, but instead of Yoo-Hoo you use milk with powder chocolate, preferable O'boy.
* A '''White Meseta''' is a White Russian topped off with a shot of bourbon, preferably Maker's Mark.
* A '''Dirty Russian''' is similar to the Russian Yoo-Hoo, but instead of Yoo-Hoo you use milk with chocolate syrup.
* An '''Anna Kournikova''' is a White Russian made with skim milk.
* A '''Colin Powell''' is a White Russian made with chocolate milk.
* A '''Mikhail Gorbachev''' is a White Russian topped with a sprinkling of chocolate sauce on the head.
* A '''Yellow Russian''' is a White Russian in which the cream/milk is replaced with egg nog.

==Cultural references==
*White Russians are the favored drink of "The Dude" in ''[[The Big Lebowski]]'' (where it is often jokingly referred to as a "[[Wiktionary:caucasian|Caucasian]]").
*In the movie [[Catwoman (movie)|''Catwoman'']], the title character orders a White Russian with no vodka, no ice, and no Kahlúa, making it simply a glass of cream/milk.
*White Russians also gave name to professional wrestler [[The Sandman]]'s finishing move, the '''''[[Legsweep#Russian Legsweep|White Russian Leg Sweep]]'''''.
*White Russian was a popular flavor of [[Ben and Jerry's]] ice cream, although its production was halted. The ice cream was based on the flavor of the drink, and included kahlua flavoring.
* The codename for [[OpenWrt]] version 1.0-5.0 is White Russian

⚫
==See also==
⚫
*[[List of cocktails]]


[[Category:Cocktails with vodka]]
[[Category:Cocktails with vodka]]
⚫
[[Category:Cocktails with coffee liqueur]]

[[de:White Russian]]
[[Category:Coffee culture]]
[[Category:Alcoholic coffee drinks]]
[[es:Ruso blanco]]
[[Category:Cocktails with milk]]
[[fr:White russian]]
[[it:White Russian]]
[[Category:Creamy cocktails]]
[[Category:Cocktails with ice cream]]
⚫
[[hu:White Russian]]
[[Category:Three-ingredient cocktails]]
[[ja:ホワイト・ルシアン]]
[[pt:White Russian]]
[[sv:White russian]]
[[zh:白俄 (雞尾酒)]]

Latest revision as of 19:11, 6 December 2024

White Russian
Cocktail
A mixed white Russian
TypeCocktail
Base spirit
ServedOn the rocks: poured over ice
Standard drinkware
Old fashioned glass
Commonly used ingredients
PreparationPour coffee liqueur and vodka into an old fashioned glass filled with ice. Float fresh cream on top and stir slowly.

A white Russian is a cocktail made with vodka, coffee liqueur (e.g. Kahlúa or Tia Maria) and cream served with ice in an old fashioned glass.

History

[edit]

The traditional cocktail known as a black Russian, which first appeared in 1949, becomes a white Russian with the addition of cream. Neither drink has any known Russian origin, but both are so-named due to vodka being the primary ingredient. It is unclear which drink preceded the other.[1][2]

The Oxford English Dictionary[3] refers to the first mention of white Russian in the sense of a cocktail as appearing in California's Oakland Tribune on November 21, 1965.[4] It was placed in the newspaper as an insert: "White Russian. 1 oz. each Southern, vodka, cream",[5] with "Southern" referring to Coffee Southern, a short-lived brand of coffee liqueur by Southern Comfort.[6]

The white Russian saw a surge in popularity after the 1998 release of the film The Big Lebowski. Throughout the movie, it appears as the beverage of choice for the protagonist, Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski.[7] On a number of occasions he refers to the drink as a "Caucasian".[8]

Preparation

[edit]
An unmixed white Russian

As with all cocktails, various modes of preparation exist, varying according to the recipes and styles of particular bars or mixologists. Most common varieties have adjusted amounts of vodka or coffee liqueur, or mixed brands of coffee liqueur. Shaking the cream in order to thicken it prior to pouring it over the drink is also common. Sometimes the drink is prepared on the stove with hot coffee for a warm treat on cold days. Conversely, vanilla ice cream has been known to be used, rather than cream, to make it frozen.[9][10]

Variations

[edit]

Many variants of the cocktail exist, such as a mudslide, Bolshevik, or blonde Russian (made with Irish cream), an Anna Kournikova (named after the tennis player, made with skimmed milk, i.e. a "skinny" white Russian), a white Cuban (made with rum instead of vodka), a black Russian (vodka and coffee liqueur), or a dirty Russian (with chocolate syrup added).[11][12][13] A Colorado bulldog or tall black Russian adds a splash of cola.[14][12] A white Mexican substitutes tequila for vodka.[15]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Sicard, Cheri (August 6, 2007). "Featured Cocktails – Black Russian and White Russian". FabulousFoods.com. Archived from the original on 2013-04-25. Retrieved 2010-06-08.
  2. ^ "10 Famous Cocktails and Where They Were Born". bootsnall.com. Retrieved 2017-02-09.
  3. ^ "June 2007 Update : Oxford English Dictionary". oed.com. Retrieved 2017-02-09.
  4. ^ "The History of the White Russian". nicoledigiose.com. August 10, 2012. Retrieved 2017-02-09.
  5. ^ "White Russian, n. and a.". Oxford English Dictionary. June 2007. Retrieved 2010-05-06.
  6. ^ "An Enthusiast's Guide to Cocktails: the White Russian". The Alcohol Enthusiast. May 11, 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-02.
  7. ^ Boardman, Madeline (2013-03-06). "Jeff Dowd, Real 'Big Lebowski' Dude, Talks White Russians, Jeff Bridges And Bowling". The Huffington Post. Archived from the original on 2020-12-25. Retrieved 2015-04-24.
  8. ^ Kurutz, Steven (2 December 2008). "White Russians Arise, This Time at a Bowling Alley". The New York Times. Retrieved 2014-01-09.
  9. ^ "Nostalgic Frozen Kahlúa White Russian Cocktail & Holiday Entertaining Tips". Cooking in Stilettos. 2018-06-12. Retrieved 2019-02-03.
  10. ^ "Frozen White Russians!". Anne Taintor. 2015-07-10. Archived from the original on 2020-10-30. Retrieved 2019-02-03.
  11. ^ "Vodka Drinks We Love: The Black Russian". Liquor.com. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
  12. ^ a b Bingo Barnes (November 1, 2006). "The Snows of Revolution". The Boise Weekly. Archived from the original on 2012-04-07. Retrieved 2010-12-31.
  13. ^ "White Russian". Conan's Pub. 2006. Archived from the original on 2011-10-08. Retrieved 2010-05-06.
  14. ^ "Colorado Bulldog".
  15. ^ "White Mexican".
[edit]
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