Name: Balalaika
Total time: 4 min
Cuisine: Cocktail
Ingredients: 35 ml Triple sec; 25 ml Vodka; 15 ml Lemon juice; 10 ml Chilled water

Ingredients

1 ¹⁄₆ fl oz

Cointreau L'Unique triple sec liqueur

⁵⁄₆ fl oz

Ketel One Vodka

¹⁄₂ fl oz

Lemon juice (freshly squeezed)

¹⁄₃ fl oz

Chilled water/mineral water (optional)

How to make

Glassware

Prepare

Select and pre-chill a MARTINI GLASS.

Prepare garnish of orange zest twist.

Method

SHAKE all ingredients with ice.

FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.

Garnish

EXPRESS orange zest twist over the cocktail and use as garnish.

Flavour Profile

No alcohol

Medium

Boozy

Sweet

Medium

Dry/sour

Health & Nutrition

Nutrition:

One serving of Balalaika contains 137 calories

Alcohol content:

1.4 standard drinks
20.76% alc./vol. (41.52° proof)
18.9 grams of pure alcohol

Comments & Discussion

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Tuber Magnatum Premium Member 18w

Was looking for an easy to put together cocktail and found this in Diffords Trinity Cocktail list. As others have mentioned, a very nice drink. In case any one was undecided about the optional water, for this drink I would suggest trying it with out +/- a longer shake. I added the water as my ice is "dry" but found it too dilute for my taste. Having said that, this is a definite repeat but without the extra water.

Neil Fordham 33w

When I have made this I use equal amounts of the 3 ingredients. Very moreish!

Joseph Nelson Premium Member 44w

I trimmed the lemon down by 5ml (as is my habit with my potent lemons!) and this was a totally delightful beverage that managed to be adroitly balanced. Chipper and tart but not sour. The Triple Sec sweetens the mix perfectly. This is going into my regular rotation!

Joshua Perez 1y

Supposedly, the first appearance of the Balalaika was published in the 1965 revised edition of The Savoy Cocktail Book. I haven't been able to confirm this myself, but the Japanese cocktail book 新版バーテンダーズマニュアル credits it.

Joshua Perez 1y

Seems believable as I've found a recipe for it in the 1966 Booth’s Handbook of Cocktails and Mixed Drinks.
https://www.scribd.com/document/408647965/Collectif1806-1966-BOOTH-S-HANDBOOK-OF-COCKTAILS-AND-MIXED-DRINKS-E-pdf#content=query:balalaika,pageNum:83,indexOnPage:0,bestMatch:false

Simon Difford Verified User Premium Member 1y

Thanks, Joshua. I'll investigate and add to the history above.

Robert Aitchison 2y

Balanced and with a good citrus hit

Miguel Perales Premium Member 3y

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 4y

Try swapping the vodka for pisco.

David Hoyle 4y

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.

Simon Difford Verified User Premium Member 4y

Agreed, the classic recipe either needs sugar syrup or rebalancing. Hopefully, the amended recipe above fits the bill.

David Hoyle 4y

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!