Black Russian
Vodka and Kahlúa — Gustave Tops' 1949 Hotel Metropole Brussels creation for Ambassador Perle Mesta, Kahlúa's 1936 Veracruz coffee meeting Russian-associated vodka.
- 1Fill a rocks glass with ice cubes.
- 2Pour vodka over the ice.
- 3Add coffee liqueur and stir briefly to combine.
- 4Serve without garnish for maximum simplicity.
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The Black Russian was created in 1949 by Gustave Tops, head bartender at the Hotel Metropole in Brussels, Belgium, in honor of Perle Mesta — the prominent American socialite, Democratic Party fundraiser, and diplomat who served as US Ambassador to Luxembourg from 1949 to 1953. The recipe uses just two ingredients: vodka and Kahlua coffee liqueur, whose combination produces a strikingly dark, clean cocktail that rewards high-quality vodka. Kahlua, the Mexican coffee liqueur whose production in the Veracruz state of Mexico dates to 1936, contributed deep coffee character that complemented vodka's neutrality perfectly. The cocktail's name combined vodka's Russian association with the coffee liqueur's deep color. It spread rapidly from Brussels to hotel bars throughout Europe and North America during the 1950s, establishing the vodka-coffee liqueur pairing as a classic combination.
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