White Russian Vs Black Russian Cocktails: What's The Difference?

A white Russian is a classic but simple cocktail consisting of vodka, coffee liqueur such as Kahlua, and cream — and that's it. It's always served on the rocks, and the overall result is an alcoholic beverage reminiscent of a very sweet iced latte. The popular drink is featured so heavily in the movie "The Big Lebowski" that it's almost a character in and of itself.

The drink has a counterpart known as a black Russian, which is simply vodka and coffee liqueur, also served on ice. Despite their names, neither cocktail was conceived in Russia; the "Russian" component is a reference to the vodka contained within them. The black Russian is actually the predecessor to the more popular white one, and it's believed to have been created in Belgium by a bartender named Gustave Tops in 1949. The white version is a variation thought to have come about sometime in the 1960s, but just when and where it was conceived is still somewhat of a mystery. It appears to have first been documented as a recipe in the "Diners' Club Drink Book," which was published in 1961.

Because the base recipe is so simple, a black Russian can have many variations besides the white one. One of the more well-known drinks based on it is the Mudslide, which features vodka, coffee liqueur, heavy cream, and Irish cream. These are usually garnished with chocolate shavings or syrup and taste much like a dessert. Mudslides sometimes come blended with ice, and they're mainstays at many chain restaurants or tropical resorts since they can be quite flashy sometimes. If you're not in the mood to make your own Mudslides from scratch, Kahlua and other brands sell a ready-to-drink bottled product that you can pick up in the liquor department of most major supermarkets.

Mudslides and Bushwackers are similar, but Bushwackers highlight rum and cream of coconut with coffee liqueur as the key ingredient. Another variation on a black Russian is a Colorado Bulldog, which includes vodka, coffee liqueur, cream, and an ounce or two of cola. If you've ever heard of a Mind Eraser, that's simply a regular black Russian that's been topped off with soda water.  So, if you like coffee-flavored drinks in general or even coffee ice cream, any variation on the Russian cocktail is sure to please — provided you're into sweet drinks.