CARAJILLO
Cafe de Olla meets an espresso martini. Coffee liqueur, turbinado syrup, and a shot of espresso.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 oz Los Magos Sotol
- .5 oz coffee liqueur
- .5 oz turbinado syrup
- 1 shot of espresso
A carajillo is coffee and liquor, and in Mexico it's usually Licor 43 over ice. We take it closer to Cafe de Olla, which is coffee brewed with cinnamon and raw sugar in a clay pot.
Then we shake it like an espresso martini. The foam on top comes from the espresso, so pull it fresh.
What you need
- 2 oz Los Magos Sotol Blanco
- .5 oz coffee liqueur
- .5 oz turbinado syrup
- 1 shot of espresso, fresh
How to make it
- Pull the espresso and let it sit 30 seconds.
- Combine everything in a shaker with ice.
- Shake hard for 15 seconds.
- Double strain into a coupe.
- Garnish with grated Mexican chocolate and cinnamon flavored coffee beans.
Fresh espresso is the whole trick. Cold brew makes a flatter drink with no foam on it.
Why sotol works here
Coffee cocktails usually go to vodka or rum, and both of them get buried. Espresso is loud, and it needs something with enough character to still be there after the first sip.
Sotol has that. The roasted note from the pit sits naturally alongside roasted coffee, and the black pepper cuts the sweetness of the liqueur. Turbinado brings a molasses edge that ties the two together.
It works because both the spirit and the coffee got their flavor from fire.
Questions we get
What can I use instead of turbinado syrup?
Equal parts turbinado sugar and hot water, stirred until dissolved. Demerara works the same way.
Can I make it with the 6 Year Reserva?
Yes, and it's very good. Six years in tequila barrels adds vanilla and clove that suit coffee. Drop the turbinado to .25 oz because the Reserva is already sweeter.
Make it with the bottle it was built for.
Los Magos Sotol Blanco, 750ml. Wild-harvested and triple distilled, with no additives.
