Blue Lagoon
A vibrant and visually striking blue cocktail, the Blue Lagoon is a sweet and fruity mix of vodka, blue curaçao, and lemonade, often garnished with fruit.
What is this drink?
The Blue Lagoon is a dazzling, brilliantly blue cocktail created at Harry's New York Bar in Paris in the early 1960s. It blends vodka, blue curaçao, and lemonade into a vivid, tropical-looking drink that's as eye-catching as it is easy to make.
Why you'll love it
It's a sweet, fruity crowd-pleaser with a stunning electric blue color that makes it the showstopper of any drinks tray. Light, refreshing, and utterly summery.
When to serve
Perfect for pool parties, beach gatherings, tropical-themed events, or any occasion where you want a visually spectacular drink.
Pro tip
Use a homemade or premium lemonade rather than a concentrate — the quality of your lemonade makes all the difference to this simple cocktail's final flavor.
Vodka
The neutral spirit backbone that keeps the drink clean and lets the blue curaçao and lemonade flavors shine through.
Blue Curaçao
The star ingredient — an orange-flavored liqueur with vivid blue coloring that gives the Blue Lagoon its signature hue and tropical sweetness.
Lemonade
The refreshing, tart base that balances the sweetness of the curaçao and lightens the drink into a long, drinkable cocktail.
Swap Options
Substitute lemonade with lemon-lime soda for a fizzier version. Triple sec with a few drops of blue food coloring can replace blue curaçao. For a non-alcoholic version, use blue curaçao syrup instead of the liqueur.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Combine ingredients
Fill a highball glass or a large wine glass with 1 serving of ice. Pour 1.5 ounces (45 ml) vodka and 1 ounce (30 ml) blue curaçao over the ice.
Tips:
- •Ensure all liquids are chilled for the best refreshing taste.
Add lemonade
Top the mixture with 4 ounces (120 ml) of lemonade.
Tips:
- •Adjust the amount of lemonade to control sweetness and strength.
Stir and garnish
Stir gently to combine the ingredients, ensuring the blue color is uniform. Garnish with 1 lemon wheel and 1 maraschino cherry.
Tips:
- •The garnishes enhance the bright, tropical look of the drink.
Flavor Profile
Alcohol Content
Fun Fact
Bartender's Tips
- Use good quality lemonade (homemade or a premium brand) for a better flavor.
- Adjust the sweetness by reducing lemonade or adding a small squeeze of fresh lemon juice if it's too sweet.
- For a frozen version, blend all ingredients with extra ice until smooth.
- You can add a splash of soda water for extra fizz if desired.
Different ways to make this drink your own
Sparkling Blue Lagoon
Replace still lemonade with sparkling lemonade or lemon-lime soda (like Sprite or 7UP) for an effervescent version. The bubbles lift the bright blue colour and make the cocktail feel even more refreshing, particularly on a hot day at the beach or poolside.
Blue Lagoon Slushie
Blend all ingredients with a generous cup of crushed ice for a frozen, slushy Blue Lagoon. The vibrant blue colour becomes even more dramatic in frozen form, and the texture is intensely cooling. Perfect for summer parties and outdoor events.
Tropical Blue Lagoon
Add 30ml of pineapple juice to the glass alongside the vodka and blue curaçao before topping with lemonade. The pineapple's tropical sweetness and acidity adds fruity depth, making the cocktail taste more complex and less one-dimensionally sweet.
Tools that make this drink come together
Highball Glass
A tall, clear highball glass showcases the Blue Lagoon's extraordinary electric-blue colour. The transparency is essential — the bright azure hue is the drink's defining visual feature and needs a clear glass to display it properly.
Bar Spoon
Stir gently once or twice after adding the lemonade to combine the vodka and blue curaçao without losing carbonation if using sparkling lemonade. The blue curaçao's density means it needs a brief stir to integrate rather than sitting at the bottom.
Jigger
Accurate measuring ensures the blue curaçao's vivid colour isn't diluted too much or the vodka too strong. The colour of the finished drink is directly affected by the ratio — too little blue curaçao and the drink looks greenish rather than electric blue.
Can't Find These?
Any tall, clear glass shows the colour well. Stir with any long spoon. Use a shot glass or tablespoon to measure the spirits. The Blue Lagoon is simple to make and forgiving of imprecise measurement.
The right glass makes a real difference
Highball Glass
The Blue Lagoon's most important quality is its stunning electric-blue colour, which means a tall, clear highball glass is essential. Transparency is non-negotiable — the vivid azure of the blue curaçao and lemonade combination is the cocktail's entire visual identity. The height of the highball also allows a cherry and lemon garnish to perch on the rim, adding a bright contrasting colour to the already striking presentation.
Alternatives
A Collins glass works identically. A large wine glass provides an elegant alternative with good visual impact. Any clear, tall glass is suitable — avoid coloured or frosted glasses as they completely hide the cocktail's defining visual characteristic.
Perfect food pairings to complete the experience
Coconut Shrimp
Crispy coconut-crumbed shrimp with a sweet chilli sauce echo the Blue Lagoon's tropical, sweet-citrus character. The visual contrast between the orange-gold shrimp and the vivid blue cocktail is as striking as the flavour pairing.
Fruit Skewers
Colourful fruit skewers with strawberries, pineapple, and melon create a tropical, summery combination alongside the Blue Lagoon. The fruit's natural sweetness mirrors the blue curaçao's orange-sweet character without adding heaviness.
Lemon Posset
A creamy, sharp lemon posset echoes the lemon juice in the Blue Lagoon. The citrus sharpness of the dessert is refreshed by the cocktail's sweetness, creating a pleasant contrast between the two very different textures.
Prawn Cocktail
Classic chilled prawns with Marie Rose sauce pair effortlessly with the Blue Lagoon's citrus-sweet profile. The lightness of the seafood complements the drink without competing, and the colour contrast is visually dramatic.
Prep in advance for effortless serving
Pre-Mix the Vodka and Curaçao
Combine vodka and blue curaçao in a sealed bottle and refrigerate up to 24 hours. When serving, pour over ice and top with chilled lemonade. The vibrant colour is preserved perfectly and the serving step is reduced to one pour plus the lemonade top-up.
Chill the Lemonade
Refrigerate lemonade at least 4 hours before serving. Cold lemonade poured over the blue curaçao-vodka base preserves its carbonation if sparkling, and keeps the finished drink chilled without relying solely on ice.
Pre-Cut Garnishes
Cut lemon slices and skewer maraschino cherries on cocktail picks ahead of time. A lemon wheel and a cherry are the traditional Blue Lagoon garnish — having them pre-prepared means each drink can be finished and handed over instantly.
Chill the Glasses
Place clear highball glasses in the fridge (not the freezer, which would frost them and obscure the colour) an hour before service. Chilled glasses keep the cocktail cold without diluting the drink quickly with melting ice.
Common questions answered by our bartenders
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