The recipe
for your table
Fill a highball glass to the rim with ice cubes.
Pour the vodka and blue curaçao over the ice.
Top up with ice-cold lemon soda and stir gently once with a bar spoon.
Garnish with a lemon slice on the rim and a cocktail cherry in the glass.
The story
The Blue Lagoon is attributed to Andy MacElhone, who worked behind the bar at Harry's New York Bar in Paris in the 1960s - the same bar where the Bloody Mary and the Sidecar first appeared. His idea was simple: take a vodka lemonade and make it blue. Blue curaçao, a liqueur made from the dried peel of the laraha orange from Curaçao, is naturally clear; the bright blue colour comes entirely from colouring. That's exactly why the drink works so well: it tastes like a refreshing citrus drink, but looks like a swimming pool in the Caribbean.
The right glass
A Blue Lagoon deserves a tall, clear highball glass. The taller the glass, the better that blue colour stands out - and the more ice it holds, keeping this cocktail cold for longer. Choose a size between 33 and 47 cl: with 33 cl, you get the classic proportions; with 47 cl, you can use plenty of ice without diluting your drink. Colourless, thin glass works best; tinted glass diminishes the colour.
Bormioli Rocco Diamond Highball Glass 47 cl (6 pieces)
Arcoroc Islande Highball Glass 33 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets — together € 35,90.
The right tools
For a Blue Lagoon, besides the glass, you use a bar spoon for stirring, a jigger for precise measuring, and glass straws. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you'll find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 3 bar tools — together € 61,80.
Variations & twists
Replace the lemonade with pineapple juice and you'll be close to the Blue Hawaii; swap the vodka for white rum and add coconut liqueur for a tropical version. If you prefer it less sweet, use tonic instead of 7UP and add a splash of fresh lemon juice. Looking for more inspiration? Browse all cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Chill the lemonade and glasses in advance. Pour the blue curaçao in last, very slowly, over the rounded side of a bar spoon: this creates a blue gradient from light to deep rather than one uniform color.
Frequently asked questions
Which glass do you use for a Blue Lagoon?
A tall highball glass holding 33 to 47 cl. Check out our highball glasses for catering-quality sets.
Where does the blue color come from?
From blue curaçao. This liqueur is made from dried laraha orange peel and is naturally clear; the color is added. So flavor and color are separate.
Can you make a Blue Lagoon alcohol-free?
Yes. Use alcohol-free blue curaçao syrup and 0.0 vodka, or leave out the vodka entirely and top up with extra lemonade. The color and experience remain fully intact.
Which lemonade works best?
7UP or Sprite gives you the classic, sweet version. Want it drier? Choose bitter lemon or tonic and add half a lime.
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