Carajillo

A Spanish-Mexican coffee cocktail combining espresso with Licor 43, served over ice for a sweet, vanilla-kissed caffeine boost.

The Carajillo is a Spanish coffee drink combining espresso with a measure of spirit — traditionally rum, anise liqueur, or brandy — that has been consumed in Spanish cafés as both a morning fortifier and an after-dinner digestivo for generations. The word's etymology is popularly attributed to the Spanish coraje (courage), with colorful legends about colonial soldiers mixing spirits into their coffee for bravery before battle, though professional etymologists consider this a folk etymology rather than documented history. What is certain is that the carajillo tradition has been part of Spanish café culture since at least the late 19th century, appearing in regional variations across Catalonia, Andalusia, and Galicia. The version that spread internationally was built around Licor 43 — the Spanish vanilla-and-citrus liqueur created by the Zamora family in Cartagena in 1946 — and became enormously popular in Mexico through the 2000s and 2010s, where it was typically served over ice with a dramatic presentation: the Licor 43 is poured into a glass over ice and briefly set alight, then the espresso is added through the flame, extinguishing the fire. The combination of the liqueur's 43-botanical complexity — its vanilla, citrus, and spice character — with espresso's roasted bitterness produces an intensely satisfying after-dinner combination that achieved a global café audience.