Feb 5, 20211 min read

White Russian

Made with the spirit of Russia and with a unique creamy taste, this is the White Russian.

The White Russian stems from the cocktail the Black Russian which first appeared in 1949. The White Russian comes from this once a small amount of cream is added into it. It is unclear which cocktail came first and both drinks are not Russian in origin but are named so after the use of its primary spirit Vodka.

The Oxford Dictionary refers to the first mention of the White Russian being in in California's Oakland Tribune on November 21, 1965. It was placed in a newspaper insert, "White Russian. 1 oz. each Southern, vodka, cream", with "Southern" referring to Coffee Southern, a short-lived brand of coffee liqueur by Southern Comfort.

There are many different variations of the White Russian including the “ Blind Russian” which uses Irish Cream instead of regular cream and the “Dirty Russian” which uses Chocolate Milk instead of cream. It’s a very unique drink in its own right and to some very polarising, but its rise in popularity is no coincidence. Here is how it is made.