Blue Lagoon
Blue, sparkling, carefree.
Vodka, blue curaçao and lime lengthened with lemon-lime soda: a vividly blue long drink, citrusy and gently sweet. Easy to make, it is one of the most recognisable curaçao-based drinks.
- Long drink
- Built
- Glass
- Collins glass
- Method
- Built
- Strength
- Light
- Time
- 2 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Ice
- Cubes
Ingredients
Measures for 1 serving
-
Vodka
40 ml
-
Blue curaçao
30 ml
-
Lime juice
20 ml
-
Lemon soda
75 ml
Garnish
- Orange slice
- Maraschino cherry (optional)
Proportions
How to make
- Chill a Collins glass.
- Pour the vodka into the glass.
- Add the blue curaçao.
- Add the lime juice.
- Stir briefly.
- Fill the glass with ice.
- Top with lemon-lime soda.
- Stir gently.
- Garnish with an orange wheel and a cherry.
The story
Origins
ProbableA plausible account, without definitive proof.
The Blue Lagoon is credited to Andy MacElhone, son of the founder of Harry's New York Bar in Paris, who is said to have created it in the 1960s, when blue curaçao became widely available in bottles. Sources disagree on the date: some give 1960, others 1972. Harry's Bar itself claims the drink among its creations, without naming a year or creator. According to Difford's Guide, MacElhone's original was blended, while the version most common today, built in the glass and lengthened with lemon-lime soda or lemonade, has no known author. It shares its name with the 1980 film, but the cocktail predates it.
Sources (5)
- Difford's Guide — Blue Lagoon (opens in a new tab) recipe and history
- Cocktailmag — Blue Lagoon (opens in a new tab) recipe and history
- Wikipedia — Blue Lagoon (cocktail) (opens in a new tab) recipe
- Brookston Beer Bulletin — Historic Beer Birthday: Andrew MacElhone (opens in a new tab) history
- Harry's New York Bar — official site (opens in a new tab) history
Taste profile
- Citrus
- 4 out of 5
- Sweet
- 3 out of 5
- Bubbly
- 3 out of 5
- Fresh
- 3 out of 5