Balalaika

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (85 ratings)

Serve in a Martini glass

Ingredients:
1 16 oz Cointreau triple sec liqueur
56 oz Ketel One Vodka
12 oz Lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
13 oz Chilled water optional
× 1 1 serving
Read about cocktail measures and measuring

How to make:

  1. Select and pre-chill a Martini glass.
  2. Prepare garnish of orange zest twist.
  3. SHAKE all ingredients with ice.
  4. FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.
  5. EXPRESS orange zest twist over the cocktail and use as garnish.

Strength & taste guide:

No alcohol
Medium
Boozy
Strength 7/10
Sweet
Medium
Dry/sour
Sweet to sour 7/10

Review:

Richly flavoured with orange and lemon.

View readers' comments

History:

Adapted from a recipe in Stanley M. Jones' 1977 Jones' Complete Barguide.

BALALAIKA
Cocktail Glass Shake
1 oz vodka
1 oz lemon juice
1/2 oz Cointreau

Stanley M. Jones, 1977

Nutrition:

One serving of Balalaika contains 137 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 1.3 standard drinks
  • 20.76% alc./vol. (20.76° proof)
  • 17.6 grams of pure alcohol

Difford’s Guide remains free-to-use thanks to the support of the brands in green above. Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.

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26th January 2024 at 00:17
Balanced and with a good citrus hit
Miguel Perales’ Avatar Miguel Perales
16th September 2023 at 21:21
Very nice. Citrus, obviously, is the predominant flavor; however, this is not very sour. It is actually very balanced as is. Used Cointreau as my triple sec.
Keith Jones’ Avatar Keith Jones
13th August 2022 at 08:16
Try swapping the vodka for pisco.
David Hoyle’s Avatar David Hoyle
29th March 2022 at 16:22
This is certainly citrus-y and slightly sharp, what with the equal proprtion of lemon juice. Based on an old 80s cocktail book recipe, I have also tried this with Curaçao - Giffard's is a lovely opaque orange colour, and find its more complex flavour goes very well with the vodka and lemon. To my taste, the De Kuyper Triple Sec version ideally needs a little sugar syrup.
David Hoyle’s Avatar David Hoyle
29th March 2022 at 22:16
Correction: the Giffard is an attractive transparent orange Curaçao (not opaque). Thanks for the notification - the newly rebalanced ingredients look to be a very enticing proposition!
Simon Difford’s Avatar Simon Difford
29th March 2022 at 22:02
Agreed, the classic recipe either needs sugar syrup or rebalancing. Hopefully, the amended recipe above fits the bill.
17th March 2022 at 18:22
Very citrusy, love it!
30th November 2021 at 07:30
Add 15ml of simple syrup to cut through the bitterness of the lemon ☺️