In The Big Lebowski, Jeffrey “The Dude” Lebowski repeatedly orders a White Russian.
The drink combines vodka, coffee liqueur and cream or milk. It is a creamy variation of the Black Russian, which contains vodka and coffee liqueur but no dairy. The name refers to the cocktail style, not to Russia as the drink’s place of origin.
The White Russian became especially recognizable through the Coen brothers’ 1998 film. The Dude’s repeated preparation and consumption of the drink turned it into a defining part of his character and introduced the cocktail to many viewers who had never encountered it before.
Recipes vary in the proportions of vodka, coffee liqueur and cream. Some bars use milk, while others use half-and-half or heavy cream. Despite its cinematic association, it predates the film by decades.