Coffee and orange are an old pairing in desserts, and here they meet in a tall, fizzy glass. Vanilla cream soda softens everything into something close to a liquid chocolate orange, with vodka keeping it from turning into a milkshake.
3.2Editors’ rating
Taste3.3
Balance3.2
Easy to make4.3
Popularity5
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Add the coffee liqueur, then finish with the orange juice.
Serve unstirred with an orange slice, or give it one gentle stir if you prefer it evenly mixed.
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Orange Tundra
Taste
Sweet and fizzy with coffee, vanilla and juicy orange, reminiscent of chocolate orange. Light in body and moderate in strength.
History and origin
The Orange Tundra is an American highball of uncertain origin, combining vodka, coffee liqueur, orange juice and cream soda, the vanilla-flavored soft drink that is a staple in the United States. There is no reliable record of who created it or when.
In spirit it sits between the Black Russian, the vodka and coffee liqueur classic, and the family of sweet, easy highballs lengthened with soda. The unusual touch is the pairing of coffee with orange, a combination familiar from Italian and French pastry and from coffee served with a twist of orange peel. The drink is traditionally built in the glass without stirring, so it changes a little from first sip to last.
Bartender tips
Cream soda brands vary a lot in sweetness; a drier, vanilla-forward one keeps the drink balanced.
Freshly squeezed orange juice cuts through the sweetness far better than juice from concentrate.
Add a dash of orange bitters for a more grown-up, aromatic version.
