The recipe
for your table
Fill a tumbler with ice cubes.
Pour the vodka and coffee liqueur over it and stir briefly.
Slowly pour the cream over the rounded side of a spoon so it floats on the cocktail like a cloud.
Serve with a stirrer – the drinker decides when to stir.
The story
The family history begins in 1949 with the Black Russian, invented by Belgian bartender Gustave Tops at Hotel Metropole in Brussels for American ambassador Perle Mesta – 'Russian' because of the vodka. Sometime in the 1960s, someone added cream and the Black Russian turned white. The drink quietly carried on until the Coen Brothers had their protagonist Jeffrey 'The Dude' Lebowski drink nine of them in a single film. The Big Lebowski became a cult classic, the White Russian became an icon – and coffee liqueur sales were never the same again.
The right glass
The White Russian belongs in a wide, low tumbler of 32 to 37 cl: room for ice, and a wide opening where the cloud of cream can settle beautifully. The marbling effect of cream in coffee liqueur is half the show, so choose clear glass without overly busy texture. Sturdy in the hand, bathrobe optional. For a heavier model with weight in the base, see our old fashioned glasses.
RCR Adagio Tumbler 35 cl (6 pieces)
Eclat Longchamp Tumbler 23 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets — together € 60,90.
The right tools
For a White Russian, besides the glass, you need a bar spoon for stirring and a jigger for precise measuring. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 2 bar tools - together € 58,85.
Variations & twists
Using iced coffee instead of cream makes it a Dirty Russian, while coconut milk creates a surprisingly good vegan version. A pinch of sea salt on the cream tones down the sweetness. And without cream, it simply becomes a Black Russian again - the shortest cocktail family tree there is. Looking for more inspiration? Browse more than 100 cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Equal parts whipping cream and milk give the ideal consistency: rich enough to float, light enough to drink. Without cream, it's a Black Russian - handy for guests who do not want dairy.
White Russian or Black Russian
The difference is exactly three centiliters of cream. A Black Russian consists of 4 cl vodka and 2 cl coffee liqueur over ice, nothing else, and was created in Brussels in 1949 by bartender Gustave Tops. Pour 3 cl whipping cream or whole milk over it, and you have a White Russian. The cream changes not only the color but also the character: from a crisp, bitter after-dinner drink to a creamy dessert in a glass. So anyone who does not want or cannot drink dairy can simply order the black version.
The ratio and how strong it is
Expect 4 cl vodka, 2 cl coffee liqueur, and 3 cl cream, or 4:2:3. With ice, you end up with about 11 cl in the tumbler, including 1.6 cl of alcohol from the vodka and 0.4 cl from the liqueur, totaling around 18 percent. That's more than the sweet flavor suggests. If you want it lighter, use 3 cl vodka and 4 cl milk. For the ideal consistency, equal parts whipping cream and whole milk work best: rich enough to float, light enough to keep drinking.
Which coffee liqueur should you choose
Kahlua is the standard, with 16 percent alcohol and a distinctly sweet, caramel-like coffee flavor. Tia Maria is drier and more coffee-forward, while modern coffee liqueurs with 25 percent alcohol and much less sugar make the cocktail more mature and bitter. For those looking for the latter, the difference is worth it, although a bottle can easily cost twice as much. A simple middle ground: stick with Kahlua and add half a centiliter of cold espresso for extra coffee bitterness.
Vegan and lactose-free: coconut or oat
The cloud of cream can easily be made plant-based, as long as you pay attention to the fat content. Coconut cream works best: it is thick enough to float and its coconut note pairs well with coffee liqueur. Oat milk labeled barista contains added fat and therefore also stays beautifully afloat, while tasting more neutral. Almond milk is usually too thin and sinks straight through. Use 3 cl, just as with cream, and pour it just as slowly over the rounded side of a spoon. Do check whether your coffee liqueur itself is dairy-free.
Frequently asked questions
What is in a White Russian?
A White Russian consists of 4 cl vodka, 2 cl coffee liqueur such as Kahlua and 3 cl whipped cream or whole milk, served over ice cubes. Slowly pour the cream over the rounded side of a spoon so that it floats like a cloud on top of the cocktail.
What is the difference between a White Russian and a Black Russian?
Only the cream. A Black Russian is vodka with coffee liqueur over ice; add whipped cream or whole milk and you have a White Russian. The Black Russian was created in Brussels in 1949; the white version emerged sometime in the 1960s.
What is a White Russian with cola called?
That is a Colorado Bulldog: vodka, coffee liqueur, cream and a splash of cola in a tall glass. The cola makes it lighter and fizzy. Replace the cream with iced coffee and it is called a Dirty Russian; with coconut milk, you can make a surprisingly good plant-based version.
Which glass do you use for a White Russian?
A wide, low tumbler of 32 to 37 cl: room for ice and a wide opening through which the cloud of cream can settle beautifully. The marbling effect is half the show, so choose clear glass without a busy texture, see our tumbler glasses.
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