Name: Russian Cocktail
Total time: 2 min
Cuisine: Cocktail
Ingredients: 45 ml Vodka; 22.5 ml Cherry brandy; 7.5 ml Kirschwasser

Russian Cocktail
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Serve in a Coupe glass

Ingredients:
1 ¹⁄₂ oz	Ketel One Vodka
³⁄₄ oz	Heering Cherry Liqueur
¹⁄₄ oz	Kirschwasser (cherry) eau-de-vie

Read about cocktail measures and measuring

How to make:

Select and pre-chill a Coupe glass.
Prepare garnish of Luxardo Maraschino Cherry.
SHAKE all ingredients with ice.
FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.
Garnish with maraschino cherry.

Strength & taste guide:

No alcohol

Medium

Boozy

Sweet

Medium

Dry/sour

More cocktails with similar strength and taste profile

Review:

Sweet brandy meets dry cherry eau-de-vie in this serious vodka-laced cocktail. Contemporary bartenders may prefer to stir this cocktail but it's classically shaken and all the better for it.

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History:

Believed to be the first vodka cocktail to appear in print, this first appears in a 1911 book, Beverages de Luxe, published in Louisville, USA. It is thought to have originated at the St. Charles Hotel in New Orleans, USA.

RUSSIAN COCKTAIL
A drink which is in the last year much appreciated in the Northern Part of Europe, and is lately introduced here, where it has proven to be appreciated by connoisseurs.
Three-fifths Vodka.
Two-fifths Ruhinoy (a Russian cherry cordial made of cherry stones).
Frappe and strained.
(This drink is very strong).
Beverages de Luxe, 1911

More cocktails by David Wondrich

Nutrition:

One serving of Russian Cocktail contains 193 calories

Alcohol content:

1.4 standard drinks
26.1% alc./vol. (26.1° proof)
19.6 grams of pure alcohol

More Nightcap/sipping cocktails

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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Dave D.

15th January 2024 at 00:05

Very good drink. I had some less expensive Leroux Kirschwasser from long ago so wondering if a fine Kirsch might be better?

John CARR

5th October 2023 at 11:49

Well shaken I found this dry and brisk- went down in three! Used sangue morlacco as it’s what I had. Not sure how it might impact the final result?

Miguel Perales

21st May 2023 at 00:03

This was an "interesting" cocktail. Can definitely taste the cherries upfront with the almonds slightly present. Has slight herbal tones at the end (where from, I don't know. Maybe pepperiness from the Kirsh?) and was fairly dry and not sweet.

John Hinojos

30th October 2022 at 01:31

This was perfect for the occasion. We were having a New Orleans style dinner and needed a cocktail. This was perfect. The tastes of the cocktail went with the spiciness of the food. Was concerned it may be a bit sweet, so we use 2 oz of vodka instead of 1 1/2. Was great.

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