Editing Black Russian

{{short description|Cocktail of vodka and coffee liqueur}}
{{about|a cocktail|the African diaspora in Russia|Afro-Russian| the armed group in the Central African Republic|Black Russians|other uses}}
{{Infobox cocktail 
| iba         = yes
| sourcelink  = black-russian
| name        = Black Russian
| image       = Black_Russian.jpg
| caption     = A black Russian cocktail
| type        = cocktail
| flaming     = 
| vodka       = yes
| served      = rocks
| garnish     = 
| drinkware   = old
| ingredients = * 50&nbsp;ml [[Vodka]]
* 20&nbsp;ml [[List of liqueurs#Coffee liqueurs|Coffee liqueur]]
| prep        = Pour the ingredients into the old fashioned glass filled with ice cubes. Stir gently.
| timing      = After dinner
| notes       = 
| footnotes   = 
}}

The '''Black Russian''' is a [[cocktail]] of [[vodka]] and [[coffee liqueur]]. It contains 50&nbsp;ml vodka and 20&nbsp;ml coffee liqueur, per [[IBA Official Cocktail|IBA]] specified ingredients.<ref name="IBA">{{Cite web|title=Black Russian|url=https://iba-world.com/black-russian/|url-status=live|access-date=December 6, 2021|website=IBA World|date=29 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210609011406/https://iba-world.com/black-russian/|archive-date=2021-06-09}}</ref>

The drink is made by pouring the vodka and coffee liqueur over [[ice cube]]s or cracked ice in an [[old-fashioned glass]] and stirring.<ref name="SpiritDrinks">{{Cite web | title = SpiritDrinks.com - Black Russian | publisher = SpiritDrinks | url = http://www.spiritdrinks.com/cocktails/Black_Russian.asp | access-date = July 12, 2010}}</ref> The Black Russian is often garnished with a lemon slice and a Luxardo maraschino cherry on a stick.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Black Russian|url=https://www.diffordsguide.com/cocktails/recipe/236/black-russian|access-date=January 24, 2022|website=Difford's Guide for Discerning Drinkers}}</ref>

== History ==
The Black Russian cocktail first appeared in 1949 and is ascribed to Gustave Tops, a [[Belgians|Belgian]] [[Bartender|barman]], who created it at the [[Hotel Metropole, Brussels|Hotel Metropole]] in [[Brussels]] in honor of [[Perle Mesta]], then [[United States Ambassador to Luxembourg]].<ref name="sicard">{{Cite web | last = Regan| first = Gary | title = Behind The Drink: Black Russian | publisher = Liquor.com | date = 8 September 2008 | url = https://www.liquor.com/articles/behind-the-drink-the-black-russian/ | access-date = 6 September 2019}}</ref> The cocktail owes its name to the use of vodka, a typical Russian spirit, and the blackness of the coffee liqueur.

==Variations==
* Dirty Black Russian, Tall Black Russian, Australian Black Russian or Colorado Bulldog: served in a [[highball]] glass and topped up with [[cola]].<ref>{{Cite web | title = Tall Black Russian | publisher = Fluid Trade | url = http://www.fluidtrade.co.uk/cocktailview.aspx?CocktailID=303&x=0 | access-date = June 8, 2010 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091103184824/http://www.fluidtrade.co.uk/cocktailview.aspx?CocktailID=303&x=0 | archive-date = November 3, 2009 }}</ref>
* Black Magic: served with a dash of [[lemon]] juice and a [[lemon twist]] to garnish.<ref>{{Cite web | title = Black Magic | publisher = in-the-spirit.co.uk | url = http://www.in-the-spirit.co.uk/cocktails/view_cocktail.php?id=35 | access-date = June 8, 2010 | archive-date = November 5, 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161105062645/http://www.in-the-spirit.co.uk/cocktails/view_cocktail.php?id=35 | url-status = dead }}</ref>
* Irish Russian or Smooth Black Russian: served with a head of [[Guinness]].<ref name="sicard"/><ref>{{Cite web| title = Smooth Black Russian recipe| publisher = DrinksMixer.com| url = http://www.drinksmixer.com/drink2057.html| access-date = June 8, 2010| archive-date = May 17, 2020| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200517021531/http://www.drinksmixer.com/drink2057.html| url-status = dead}}</ref>
* Brown Russian: served in a [[highball glass]] and topped with [[ginger ale]].<ref>{{Cite web | title = Brown Russian | publisher = SpiritDrinks | url = http://spiritdrinks.com/cocktails/BrownRussian.asp | access-date = July 23, 2010}}</ref>
* Belarusian or [[White Russian (cocktail)|white Russian]]: served with [[milk]] or [[cream]].<ref name="IBA"/>
* Mudslide: served with Irish cream, either fresh cream or ice cream, with or without chocolate sauce rim.<ref>{{Cite web | title = Mudslide | publisher = Difford's Guide | url = https://www.diffordsguide.com/en-au/cocktails/recipe/1374/mudslide | access-date = 26 July 2021}}</ref>
* Mind Eraser: topped up with sparkling water.<ref name="minderaser">{{Cite web|title=The Mind Eraser: Vodka Drinks We Love|url=https://www.liquor.com/recipes/mind-eraser/|access-date=2021-06-13|website=Liquor.com|language=en}}</ref>
* Paralyzer: Made with [[cola]] and [[milk]] in addition to vodka and coffee liqueur.<ref>{{Cite web | title = Vodka Paralyzer| publisher = All Recipes | url = https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/152922/vodka-paralyzer/ | access-date = 11 March 2023}}</ref>

==Cultural impact==
*The cocktail is mentioned by the Italian judicial and criminal witness Alberto Biggiogero during testimony in the trial concerning the death of Giuseppe Uva, a case covered by the television program Un giorno in pretura.

*In the film ''[[The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear]]'', the protagonist Frank Drebin (played by Leslie Nielsen) orders the famous drink in one scene.

==See also==
* [[List of cocktails]]
* {{portal-inline|Liquor}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{IBACocktails}}{{Coffee}}
[[Category:Cocktails with vodka]]
[[Category:Cocktails with coffee liqueur]]
[[Category:Coffee culture]]
[[Category:Coffee drinks]]
[[Category:Alcoholic coffee drinks]]
[[Category:Two-ingredient cocktails]]