Deep ruby in the glass and smelling of dark cherries, almond and a little spice from the liqueur. The vodka stays in the background and simply adds backbone.
1¼ oz
vodkae.g. Absolut · Smirnoff · Grey Goose · Ketel One · Belvedere
1¼ oz
cherry liqueur e.g. Cherry Heeringe.g. Cherry Heering · Luxardo · Bols · Marie Brizard
Garnish: Cherry · Ice: Ice cubes
Red Russian
Sweet and fruity with dark cherry, almond and light spice, warmed by clean vodka. Strong for its size.
Think of it as the Black Russian's fruity sibling. It follows the same two-part pattern: vodka plus a liqueur, served on the rocks. Where the Black Russian uses coffee liqueur, the Red Russian uses cherry liqueur, which gives it its colour and name. The Black Russian itself is usually dated to the late 1940s, and the coloured variations followed later.
The word Russian refers to the vodka, not to any origin in Russia. Recipes vary: besides cherry liqueur, some bars use strawberry liqueur, and there are unrelated drinks under the same name made with vodka and cranberry or tomato juice. The version with Cherry Heering is the most common in cocktail books.
No. Like the Black Russian, the name refers to the vodka, not to where it was created.
Cherry Heering is the classic; a maraschino liqueur makes a drier, more floral version.
Fairly strong: it contains only vodka and liqueur, so sip it slowly.
The perfect sound
Bold red spirit from the ballet hall to the dance floor.
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