The Black Russian Is Poised for a Comeback

With the insane popularity of the Espresso Martini showing no signs of slowing, this simpler, two-ingredient cocktail is next in line for a revival

January 29, 2025 11:27 am EST
A Black Russian cocktail surrounded by mouths with talk bubbles
You'll be talking about this drink soon enough.
Amelia Stebbing

My mom and I were recently having a discussion about the cocktails we like to drink and when. She’s always been a Dirty Vodka Martini person, but like me, can only have one Martini before moving onto something else. (Taste-wise, we could both drink them all night, but neither of us can handle the sheer amount of alcohol that comes with multiple.) She also really likes a Paper Plane; she’s gotten really good at making them at home but will only order one out if she knows the bartender is an expert. We got to talking about Espresso Martinis and how I feel the same way about them — I’m only going to order one if I need the caffeine and I know it’s going to be perfectly made. “That’s why I love a Black Russian,” my mom said. 

My mom has always loved Black Russians. She’s never cared for the richness of White Russians, which add cream as a third ingredient, but digs the bittersweet flavor that happens when two parts vodka and one part coffee liqueur come together. And it’s a really hard drink to mess up.

“I’ll admit that the Espresso Martini is a bit of a guilty pleasure for me, but you can’t get a good one everywhere,” says Jason Garcia, head bartender at Kiko in Manhattan. “The quality of the cocktail often depends on the quality, or sheer availability, of espresso itself. The Black Russian doesn’t have that problem because as long as you have a quality coffee liqueur, you’ll have a quality cocktail.”

Thankfully, we’ve come a long way from Kahlua. Small-batch and artisanal coffee liqueurs are everywhere now, making the Black Russian a perfect candidate for a makeover. “The use of a really good coffee liqueur like Mr Black really elevates the drink,” says Ricardo Rodriguez, bar manager at New Jersey’s Lita and La Otra. “It strikes that perfect balance between sweet and bitter, allowing the deep coffee notes to shine through without being overly sugary.”

This all got me thinking: with the Espresso Martini’s incredible popularity showing no signs of slowing, is it possible the Black Russian could experience the same rise to fame?

As the cocktail renaissance of the early aughts ushered in the upturn of Manhattans and Old Fashioneds, sweet, sugary drinks from the decades prior fell out of fashion. But in recent years, ‘90s darlings like the Cosmopolitan and Espresso Martini have made a comeback, albeit with more thoughtful ingredients and bartenders’ unique twists. And the latter’s popularity has had an “all ships rise” effect on coffee cocktails in general — you’d be hard-pressed to find a drinks menu without one. 

“We’ve embraced this trend,” says Jose Martinez, bartender at The St. Regis San Francisco. “We featured the Carajillo [a 50/50 mix of coffee and Licor 43] on our holiday cocktail menu, and it was so well received that we decided to keep it permanently.”

I’ve seen a lot of Carajillos ordered the last couple years (and had quite a few myself), which makes me think the Black Russian — another simple, two-ingredient cocktail — is next in line. Some bartenders are already racking up the orders. “I’ve seen customers requesting them [Black Russians] at the bar these last few months,” says Nathan Oliver, beverage director at The Benjamin Hollywood.

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An uptick in orders could come as a relief to some bartenders, as the Espresso Martini is notoriously laborious.

“I’m one of those bartenders that strongly dislikes making regular Espresso Martinis,” says Steven Marshall, head bartender at Dirty Habit in San Francisco. “I understand the appeal, but it takes far too long to grind the beans, make the espresso, combine it all into the shaker, shake it for a fortnight to get a proper foam and delicately place the coffee bean garnish — and then repeat the process for everyone else that sees it go out to the table. A Black Russian, on the other hand, takes 15 to 20 seconds and still tastes great. It also has the benefit of typically having less sugar than an Espresso Martini.”

“Now that I think about it,” he adds, “I might just put it on the menu.”

For every bartender who admits they hate making the Espresso Martini, there’s one who doesn’t mind — or at least you’ll never know if they do. “Guests typically don’t consider how challenging a drink is to make, as they shouldn’t,” says Ricky Reyna, head bartender at Brooklyn’s Bar Madonna. “Their focus is on enjoying well-crafted cocktails and having a memorable experience. It’s our responsibility as bartenders to meet those expectations and deliver.”

According to Bryan Schneider, head barman at restaurant group Quality Branded, the Espresso Martini’s allure goes beyond the flavor achieved from mixing coffee and alcohol. “I would argue that I don’t see the Black Russian as making a comeback,” he says. “I think the main appeal of the Espresso Martini is the textural and visual components: the frothy top, the layered look, the three espresso beans floating on the pillow of crema. The Black Russian is a flat cocktail, both visually and texturally, and also espresso liqueurs typically don’t have the same caffeinated content as a shot of espresso.”

Sure, what Schneider says is true — the Black Russian certainly doesn’t look as good as its flouncy cousin. But in the same way that a no-frills roast chicken can be as appealing as a 10-course tasting menu depending on the occasion, isn’t simplicity sometimes kind of the point?

“I think the Black Russian will be very popular this year — it is one of my personal favorites!” says Krystiana Rizo, co-owner and bar manager at New York’s Yellow Rose. “It’s delicious, easy to make and offers room for variations. You will probably see a version of this on the Yellow Rose cocktail menu in the near future.”

Whether or not the Black Russian makes an Espresso-Martini-level comeback this year, I’m certainly excited to start ordering it more. Even if it doesn’t wow people as it walks by on a tray, maybe someone next to me at the bar will say, “Hey, I’d like to try one of those, too.”

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