In this week's COTW: We're exploring Southeast Asia's rising travel destination with a sophisticated sipper that combines the country's world-famous coffee culture with bright citrus notes for a beverage that's as complex and captivating as the land that inspired it.
Welcome to the final installment of our "Vacation Vibrations" series, where we've been exploring cocktails inspired by popular summer travel destinations. We've journeyed from Italy's Amalfi Coast to Bali, the French Riviera, and Bermuda. Today, we're concluding our global tour in Vietnam – a country known for its breathtaking landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and one of the world's most distinctive coffee cultures.
THE COCKTAIL:
Today's feature is the "Vietnam Highball" – an elegant, refreshing cocktail that pays homage to Vietnam's coffee traditions while incorporating bright citrus notes that complement the country's vibrant cuisine. This drink balances the deep, sweet intensity of Vietnamese coffee liqueur with the bright acidity of fresh citrus in a sophisticated highball format that's perfect for summer sipping.
Vietnam Highball
Ingredients
- Vietnamese Coffee Liqueur (1½ oz per cocktail): The foundation of our drink is a coffee liqueur that captures the distinctive character of Vietnamese coffee. Mr. Black Coffee Liqueur makes a good base, but to give it authentic Vietnamese character, infuse it with a tablespoon of sweetened condensed milk per 4 ounces of liqueur (stir well and let rest for an hour before using). This mimics the rich, sweet profile of cà phê sữa đá – Vietnam's iconic sweetened condensed milk coffee. Alternatively, Kahlúa works in a pinch, though it lacks some of the robusta coffee intensity that defines Vietnamese coffee.
- Citrus Component (1 oz per cocktail): We'll use a combination of fresh lime juice (¾ oz) and fresh orange juice (¼ oz). Citrus adds brightness that balances the deep coffee notes. Citrus grows abundantly in Vietnam's varied climate zones, and the combination of lime's sharp acidity with orange's gentle sweetness perfectly complements the coffee base.
- Simple Syrup (½ oz per cocktail): A basic 1:1 ratio of sugar to water provides adjustable sweetness. Vietnamese food and drink often balance sweet, sour, salty, and spicy elements, and this sweetener helps us achieve that harmony.
- Soda Water (2-3 oz per cocktail): Chilled soda water adds effervescence and lengthens the drink into a refreshing highball. Vietnam's hot, humid climate makes cooling, long drinks especially welcome.
- Optional Aromatics: A few drops of aromatic bitters or a dash of ground cinnamon can add complexity that evokes the warm spices found in Vietnamese cuisine.
- Garnish Options: A lime wheel and coffee beans for visual impact, or for a more elaborate presentation, a sprig of fresh mint or basil to represent the abundant herbs used in Vietnamese cooking.
-** Ice**: Several large, clear ice cubes work best for minimal dilution and maximum visual appeal.
Instructions
- If creating the Vietnamese-style coffee liqueur, combine 4 ounces of coffee liqueur with 1 tablespoon of sweetened condensed milk in a small container. Stir vigorously until fully incorporated, then let rest for about an hour before using.
- Fill a highball glass with ice – ideally 3-4 large, clear cubes.
- In a cocktail shaker, combine 1½ ounces of your prepared Vietnamese coffee liqueur, ¾ ounce of fresh lime juice, ¼ ounce of fresh orange juice, and ½ ounce of simple syrup.
- Add ice to the shaker and shake vigorously for 15-20 seconds until well-chilled.
- Strain the cocktail over the fresh ice in your prepared highball glass.
- Slowly top with 2-3 ounces of chilled soda water, pouring gently down the side of the glass to preserve carbonation.
- Give the drink one gentle stir with a bar spoon to incorporate all elements without losing effervescence.
- Garnish with a lime wheel and a few coffee beans floating on top. For an enhanced aromatic experience, express the oils from an orange peel over the surface of the cocktail before discarding the peel.
GLASSWARE:
A tall highball glass is the ideal vessel for this cocktail. In Vietnam, coffee is often served in glass cups rather than ceramic when it's the iced version (cà phê đá), making a glass highball culturally appropriate.
VIETNAMESE COFFEE CULTURE:
Vietnam has one of the world's most distinctive coffee cultures, worth sharing when serving this cocktail:
Vietnam is the world's second-largest coffee producer, but what makes their coffee unique is the predominance of robusta beans rather than the arabica variety common in Western countries. Robusta contains nearly twice the caffeine and has a stronger, more bitter profile with notes of dark chocolate.
Coffee was introduced to Vietnam by French colonists in the 1850s, but the Vietnamese transformed it into something uniquely their own. The addition of sweetened condensed milk was a practical adaptation – in the days before refrigeration, fresh milk was scarce, but condensed milk was shelf-stable.
The traditional Vietnamese brewing method uses a small metal filter called a "phin" that sits atop the cup, allowing the coffee to slowly drip through – a meditative process that encourages slowing down and savoring the moment.
Coffee shops are the social lifeblood of Vietnamese cities. In Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, you'll find everything from street-corner stands to elaborate multi-story cafés where people gather to conduct business, socialize, or simply watch the world go by.
Beyond the classic cà phê sữa đá (iced coffee with condensed milk), Vietnam has developed unique coffee variations including egg coffee (cà phê trứng), yogurt coffee (sữa chua cà phê), and even salt coffee (cà phê muối) in the coastal city of Huế.
Our Vietnam Highball takes inspiration from these traditions while adapting them into a refreshing cocktail format perfect for summer entertaining.
CLOSING:
The Vietnam Highball offers a fitting conclusion to our global cocktail journey – it's sophisticated yet accessible, with complex flavors that reward thoughtful sipping. Like Vietnam itself, this cocktail bridges tradition and innovation, drawing on the country's French colonial influence and indigenous ingredients to create something entirely unique. Whether you're dreaming of cruising along Halong Bay, exploring the streets of Hanoi, or trekking through terraced rice fields, this cocktail brings a taste of Vietnamese adventure to your glass.
As always I am open to hear your take and your input. You can reach me at [email protected]
Reminder: As always, enjoy responsibly and designate a driver if you're out and about sampling these delightful creations.