Name: Blue Lagoon
Total time: 4 min
Cuisine: Cocktail
Ingredients: 40 ml Vodka; 30 ml Blue curaçao liqueur; 20 ml Lime juice; 75 ml Lemon-lime soda

Blue Lagoon
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Serve in a Collins glass

Ingredients:
1 ¹⁄₃ oz	Ketel One Vodka
1 oz	Bols Blue Curaçao
²⁄₃ oz	Lime juice (freshly squeezed)
2 ¹⁄₂ oz	Lemon-lime soda (Sprite/7-Up)

Read about cocktail measures and measuring

How to make:

Select and pre-chill a Collins glass.
Prepare garnish of orange slice wheel and Luxardo Maraschino Cherry.
POUR first 3 ingredients into glass and briefly stir.
FILL glass with ice.
TOP with lemon-lime soda (or lemonade)and briefly stir.
Garnish with orange slice and maraschino cherry.

Strength & taste guide:

No alcohol

Medium

Boozy

Sweet

Medium

Dry/sour

More cocktails with similar strength and taste profile

Review:

Lurid blue, easy-drinking zesty citrusy. This cocktail is also known as The Swimming Pool and lounging beside one, or at least imagining you are, is what this cocktail is about.

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AKA: Sometimes known as the Swimming Pool

Variant:

Blend the following with a 6oz scoop of crushed ice, pour into a glass and serve with a straw: 30ml gin, 30ml vodka, 30ml blue curaçao, 30ml lime juice and 30ml sugar syrup.

Although sometimes known as the Swimming Pool, the Blue Lagoon should not be confused with Charles Schumann's Swimming Pool.

History:

There are two versions of this bright blue cocktail, both rather better than the film of the same name which despite being panned by the critics was the 9th-highest-grossing film of 1980. Perhaps a young Brooke Shields and a sexually charged plot set on a tropical island paradise helped. But I digress. Back to the drink.

There's also a blended version (see variation) created either sometime in the 1960s, or more specifically in 1972, by Andy MacElhone (son of Harry) at Harry's New York Bar, Paris, France.

We're unaware of anyone claiming to have created this built-in-the-glass/shaken (perhaps later) version of the Blue Lagoon but due to its simplicity, this is now the popular version.

More cocktails by Andy MacElhone

Nutrition:

One serving of Blue Lagoon contains 112 calories

Alcohol content:

1.3 standard drinks
10.64% alc./vol. (10.64° 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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Showing 6 comments for Blue Lagoon.
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Ryan Harrold

27th July 2024 at 02:57

Although it's not summer here in Australia, the Blue Lagoon was delicious and after taking a few sips, I took D King suggestion and added 3 tsp of Maraschino liqueur gave it a brief stir, which really did elevate this drink, which I will definitely make the Blue Lagoon again once it's summer here in Australia, so overall the Blue Lagoon is a solid 4.5 for me

Simon Bennetts

28th May 2024 at 10:18

Lurid is the word. Years ago (mid '70's) when I was working my way through Uni, an experienced bar tender showed me how to make these on a Saturday night when the crowd were ten (10) deep at the bar: Vodka followed by lime cordial and soda, followed by Blue Curacao, in a 70's champagne glass. The look that transformed the drink, at that moment, will stay with me to this day.

D King

14th July 2023 at 06:25

A couple tsp of Maraschino liqueur elevates this nicely

Ryan Harrold

27th July 2024 at 03:03

Just made the Blue Lagoon as the recipe Intended, then I took you’re suggestion by adding 3 tsp of Maraschino Liqueur after pooring my drink in a Collins Glass, which your suggestion made this drink taste even better, so cheers for the suggestion

Jack Reid

6th February 2022 at 06:10

"Lurid blue, easy-drinking zesty citrusy" is an absolutely perfect description. I can't improve on it I can only second it.

John Hinojos

17th July 2021 at 23:46

Great for a summer afternoon with bread and cheese. Use Giffards Blue Curacao and it works perfectly for the correct colour.

Ross Webster-Salter

2nd March 2021 at 18:52

Is the Swimming Pool not a different cocktail created by Schumann in the 70s. It includes rum, vodka and coconut cream?

https://www.munich.travel/en/pois/eat-drink/cocktails-deluxe

The educatedbarfly as has a nice page/video regarding the history of the cocktail.

Simon Difford

21st July 2021 at 07:17

I've now added Charles Schumann's Swimming Pool cocktail to Difford's Guide and referenced with a link above. Many thanks for bringing to my attention.

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