B-52 Bomber Cocktail

Ingredients

• 10 ml Kahlúa coffee liqueur
• 10 ml Baileys Irish cream liqueur
• 10 ml Vodka

Method

Fill a shot glass one-third full with Kahlúa. The coffee liqueur sits heavy at the bottom because of its higher density and sugar content — this is your anchor layer.

Pour the Baileys over the back of a bar spoon held just above the surface of the Kahlúa. Move slowly enough that the cream liqueur spreads across the top without punching through; you're relying on layering and the viscosity difference between the two liqueurs to keep them separate. The Baileys should sit distinctly in the middle third, cream-coloured against the dark coffee below. If the boundary blurs, your pour was too fast or the spoon was too close to the liquid.

Float the vodka the same way — spoon held steady, pour deliberate. Vodka is the least dense of the three, so it floats regardless, but a controlled hand keeps the line clean. You now have three distinct strata: coffee, cream, then clear spirit. The visual separation is the whole point of the drink's construction.

Warm the rim of the glass with a lighter, rotating it so the heat distributes evenly around the edge. You're not charring it — just bringing it to a temperature where flaming is reliable. Hold the lighter close enough that you feel the radiant heat but don't blacken the glass.

Ignite the vodka layer. A long lighter works better than a standard one because you can reach the top of the glass without singeing your hand. The flame will be pale blue and quiet — don't expect drama. The heat is what matters: it warms the drink and creates the ritual. Once the flame is established, insert a straw and drink the entire shot in one continuous pull whilst the drink is still alight. The heat activates the volatiles in the spirits, sharpens the flavour profile, and the whole thing needs to be consumed before the flame dies or the temperature drops below the threshold where you notice it.

Don't linger. Speed matters here — the drink is only truly itself while it's hot and burning.