Welcome to Wonkette Happy Hour, With This Week’s Cocktail, The Carajillo!

Greetings, Wonketeers! I’m Hooper, your bartender. It is cold, snowy, and nasty out here in Ohio. I’m definitely in the mood for a warm cocktail. And by “warm,” I mean “actively on fire.” There’s a Cuban cocktail that’s been making the rounds among mixologists that I wanted to play with for a while, but it seemed a bit simple. Then I found the flamboyant Spanish version of the same drink, and I knew I had a winner. Let’s make a Carajillo. Here’s the recipe: 

½ oz Licor 43 liqueur

½ oz Hennessy cognac

2 oz fresh espresso

Lemon zest

2-3 coffee beans

Short cinnamon stick

Demerara sugar

In a small glass, microwave the Licor 43 and Hennessy on low for 15 seconds. Rim a second glass with lemon juice. Coat the rim with demerara sugar. Add the lemon zest, coffee beans, and cinnamon stick to the sugar-rimmed glass. Add the alcohol to the sugar-rimmed glass. Ignite the liquor with a long kitchen match. When the flames go out, slowly pour the espresso over the liqueur. Serve hot and at once. 

Okay, okay, if the idea of setting a glass of something on fire in your kitchen makes you nervous, skip the flambé. But the flames do serve a practical purpose. The drink just isn’t the same without the heated, fragrant garnishes. But I get it; if fire isn’t your thing, there are several ways to make this drink, both simple and sophisticated. There’s no wrong way to prepare the cocktail. I’ve mashed together a few recipes to make this particular little glass, so feel free to take your own approach. 

According to cocktail myth, the original carajillo was called a “coraje” — simply coffee and rum, mixed and served to indentured laborers on Cuban plantations to give them coraje, or “courage,” to get through the day. Alternately, it’s been referred to as an Adalusian drink, coffee and rum tossed down first thing in the morning with the expletive “Carajo!” aka “Screw it!” It’s clearly a Monday sort of drink in this form. (Important note: If you try to order this drink in Portugal, be very, very careful with your pronunciation. If you ask for a caralho, you’ll get something much more intimate and profane.)

In Mexico, the popular version of this drink is coffee and Licor 43, served over ice. It’s not a very elegant drink; Punch magazine described it as a Mexican version of vodka and Red Bull. Admittedly, most bars use bad coffee, and Licor 43 isn’t the most subtle of liqueurs. But it is tasty, keeps you going, and gets the job done.

The version I’m offering, on the other hand, is a high-end iteration from the Castellon region of Spain. The warmed garnishes are glorious in this glass, and the presentation is spectacular. But if you aren’t feeling fancy, toss a slug of Hennessy or Mount Gay into your coffee, take a deep breath, and stare at the winter wonderland this weekend with me.

Let’s talk ingredients:

Licor 43 and Hennessy: You can easily use rum, brandy, or even triple sec here, in whatever proportions equal one ounce.  Whatever you use, it is important to warm the booze before igniting it. Heated alcohol ignites more readily than a room-temperature bottle. If you aren’t familiar with Licor 43, it’s a sweet vanilla-flavored liqueur with a hint of citrus. It is, charitably, banana colored. I decided to use cognac and Licor 43, for sweetness and sophistication. 

Garnishes: The subtleties of this drink comes from the flambeed garnishes. Lemon zest, coffee, and cinnamon all hide their flavor in oils trapped in the solids of the garnishes. The heat releases and lightly toasts the oils — sort of like potpourri. With a little fire, this blue-collar workhorse becomes something special. 

Espresso: If you have a proper espresso machine, power to you. I’m in love with my moka pot for a quick hit of espresso. It’s cheap, easy to use, and makes a fine little cup for an evening pick-me-up. A highly recommended kitchen gadget for coffee lovers. 

Technique: The alcohol won’t stay lit for long; we’d need to use an overproof rum to create a sustained flame. I bruleed the rim of the glass to melt the sugar, but that’s strictly optional. If you are very, very careful, you can gently add the espresso over the back of a bar spoon and build this drink with separate layers. I couldn’t quite get the hang of it for the photo shoot, but practice makes perfect. 

In summary and conclusion, drink well, drink often, and tip your bartender — donate to Wonkette at the link below!  

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