Ingredients
- .5 oz Vodka
- .5 oz Gin
- .5 oz Rum
- .5 oz Triple Sec
- .5 oz Blackberry Liqueur
- .5 oz Blue Curacao Liqueur
- 1 oz Lemonade
- 1.5 oz Sweet and Sour
Instructions
Combine the Ingredients:
- In a tumbler or tall glass filled with ice, add 0.5 oz of vodka, 0.5 oz of gin, 0.5 oz of rum, 0.5 oz of triple sec, 0.5 oz of blackberry liqueur, and 0.5 oz of blue curacao liqueur.
Add the Mixers:
- Pour in 1 oz of lemonade and 1.5 oz of sweet and sour mix. These mixers add a refreshing and tangy balance to the strong spirits.
Stir Well:
- Stir the mixture well to combine all the ingredients thoroughly. This helps to blend the flavors and ensure a smooth, consistent taste.
Garnish and Serve:
- Garnish with a lemon slice for an extra touch of citrus and visual appeal.
- Serve immediately and enjoy.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition:
Where it came from
The Black Opal is an Aussie tribute drink, named after the national gemstone mined in Lightning Ridge. It started life on a 1990s bar menu in a Sydney hotel and spread through the same multi-spirit Long Island family that produced the Adios Motherfucker and the Blue Lagoon.
Eight ingredients reads like overkill on paper. In the glass it works because every spirit is poured in a half-ounce, so no single component dominates. The blackberry liqueur takes the edge off the white spirits and the blue curacao supplies the colour.
It is a holiday drink. Resort bars, hotel poolside, NYE parties. Not a bar-tool drink, more a build-and-stir crowd-pleaser.
What it tastes like
Sweet and sour up front, blackberry through the middle, citrus on the finish. The four base spirits are background noise behind the liqueurs, which is how a drink with this much alcohol stays drinkable.
About 18 percent ABV in a tall glass. Two and a half ounces of spirit, two and a half ounces of liqueur, and two and a half ounces of mixers. Drinks like a long cocktail, hits like a short one.
The technique
Fill a shaker with ice. Pour the four base spirits, the three liqueurs and the sweet and sour. Shake briefly. Strain into a tall glass over fresh ice. Top with the lemonade.
Use cracked ice for the build, not crushed. Crushed ice melts too fast and dilutes the colour.
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Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that make or break this drink.
The blue curacao
- Use
- A real blue curacao, ideally Bols or Marie Brizard.
- Skip
- Generic ‘blue liqueur’ with no orange flavour. The drink loses its anchor.
- Why
- Blue curacao is the colour and the orange-peel note. It is doing two jobs.
The blackberry liqueur
- Use
- Chambord or a quality crème de mure. Half an ounce, no more.
- Skip
- Blackberry brandy. It is too sweet and too thin.
- Why
- The blackberry deepens the colour and adds ripe-fruit weight to balance the white spirits.
The sweet and sour
- Use
- Two parts fresh lemon juice to one part simple syrup, shaken cold.
- Skip
- Bottled sour mix with high-fructose corn syrup. It dulls the colour.
- Why
- Sour mix is the load-bearing acid in a drink with this much spirit. Make it fresh or skip the drink.
Three Variations
Three real ways bartenders riff on this drink. Same idea, three different jackets.
The simple version
- Simple Black Opal
- Drop the gin and the rum, keep the vodka and the triple sec. Same colour, half the cabinet, drinks cleaner.
The Aussie version
- Outback Opal
- Swap the lemonade for ginger beer and add a slice of lime. Spicier, more savoury, less candy.
The party version
- Black Opal Pitcher
- Multiply by six, build in a glass jug over a single ice block, top with a tray of fresh lemon wheels. Pours like a punch.
What if I don't have…
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
Half an ounce of triple sec plus three drops of blue food colouring. Keeps the orange note, mimics the colour.
Crème de cassis or any dark berry liqueur. Cassis is more bitter, mure is sweeter, both work.
Equal parts fresh lemon juice and simple syrup. Add a splash more if the drink reads too dry.
Soda water with a teaspoon of simple syrup. Less candy, more grown-up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
What is in a Black Opal cocktail?
Half an ounce each of vodka, gin, rum, triple sec, blackberry liqueur and blue curacao, plus an ounce of lemonade and an ounce and a half of sweet and sour, served over ice in a tall glass.
How do you make a Black Opal?
Shake the four spirits, three liqueurs and the sweet and sour with ice. Strain into a tall ice-filled glass and top with lemonade. Garnish with a lemon wheel.
What does a Black Opal taste like?
Sweet and sour up front, blackberry through the middle, citrus on the finish. The four base spirits run as background, the liqueurs do the talking.
Is the Black Opal cocktail strong?
About 18 percent ABV. Two and a half ounces of spirit total, balanced by sweet and sour and lemonade. Drinks like a long cocktail, hits like a short one.
Where did the Black Opal get its name?
From the Australian black opal, the gemstone mined in Lightning Ridge. The drink started life on a 1990s Sydney hotel bar menu.
What colour is a Black Opal cocktail?
Deep blue with a darker centre. The blue curacao gives the body, the blackberry liqueur deepens it, and the lemonade lightens the edges.
Can I make a Black Opal without all four spirits?
Yes. Drop the gin and rum and keep the vodka and triple sec. The drink reads simpler and cleaner. The colour stays.
How many calories are in a Black Opal?
Around 280 calories per glass. The liqueurs and lemonade carry most of the load. Switch to a sugar-free lemonade and it drops to about 220.
What glass do you serve a Black Opal in?
A tall glass over ice, sometimes called a Collins glass. Garnish with a lemon wheel or a fresh blackberry.
Can I make a Black Opal mocktail?
Yes. Drop the four spirits, keep the blackberry and orange syrups, top with lemonade and soda. Tastes close enough at a poolside lunch.
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