White Russian

The White Russian: The Dude Abides

The White Russian was relatively obscure until the 1998 Coen Brothers film The Big Lebowski, where “The Dude” drinks countless variations throughout the movie.

What it should taste like

Sweet coffee and cream, with vodka underneath holding it together. It is a dessert drink and should be honest about that: rich and slightly cloying if you sip it slowly, which is why it is served short over one large cube.

White Russian measures in ml and oz

The house spec is 2-1-1.

Alcohol and calories

The vodka (40%) and the coffee liqueur (around 20%) put this at roughly 25% ABV before the ice and 20-22% in the glass. It is also the heaviest drink here: roughly 330 kcal.

The float technique

Put one large cube in a short rocks glass, pour in the vodka and coffee liqueur and stir once. Hold a bar spoon back up just above the surface and pour the cream slowly over it so it settles in a clean layer. Do not stir: drink through the layers. Use cold cream with at least 30% fat, and never shake it, because it whips.

Substitutions

• No heavy cream: Half-and-half, or barista oat cream, which behaves most like cream.
• No Kahlúa: Tia Maria is lighter and more sugary; Mr Black is drier and more roasted.
• No vodka: White rum makes a sweeter version, bourbon a coffee-and-vanilla one.

Common mistakes

• Milk instead of cream. It sinks and makes a grey, watery drink.
• Warm cream. It drops through the ice before you finish pouring.
• Shaking. Cream whips and the texture turns grainy.

Variations with their own names

• Black Russian — the same drink without the cream.
• Colorado Bulldog — topped with cola, which adds fizz.
• Mudslide — add Irish cream for an even richer drink.

When to serve it

After dinner, with dark chocolate, coffee cake or a plate of biscuits. It is rich, so serve it in a small rocks glass.

White Russian FAQ

What is the difference between a White Russian and a Black Russian?

The cream. A Black Russian is vodka and coffee liqueur over ice.

Why did my cream sink?

The cream was too warm, poured too fast, or the spoon was too high.