Best White Russian Cocktail

A brief history of the White Russian cocktail 

Before the White Russian was a thing, the Black Russian drink (made with vodka and coffee liqueur) was all the rage. Legend has it that in 1949 a Belgian barman by the name of Gustave Tops created both these vodka drinks at the Hotel Metropole in Brussels to honour the US ambassador of Luxembourg. So while you’d think these cocktails originated in Russia, these drinks get their names from the addition of vodka. As this popular creamy drink spread across the globe, the recipe was finally published in California’s Oakland Tribune in 1965. And then, the 1998 classic cult film, The Big Lebowski, hit our screens, along with this legendary cocktail. The rest, as they say, is history.  

What makes a proper White Russian recipe

A proper White Russian recipe is deceivingly simple to make, but sometimes the simplest things in life are also the most delicious. If you want to know how much alcohol is in White Russian, then all we can say is that even though it tastes a little like melted coffee-flavoured ice cream, it’s actually quite potent with three ounces of alcohol in one drink. So, slowly does it!

With only three ingredients, the best White Russian cocktail is packed with good quality. We suggest premium vodka and a top-shelf coffee liqueur. When it comes to the cream, make sure it’s proper heavy cream—not the instant whipped kind! 

The best vodka for a White Russian

At 60ml per cocktail, vodka is the star of this nightcap, so it’s essential that you choose a high-quality brand, like SKYY Vodka. Because of this vodka brand’s quadruple column-distillation and triple-filtration processes, you can expect a softer taste and a citrusy spice-like scent.