Carajillo Is the Coffee-Spiked Cocktail You Need to Try in Delaware

Espresso martinis are all the rage, but the carajillo is another take on a coffee-based cocktail with Spanish flair.

Libation of the Month

Carajillo

Where to Find It

The Blue Hen
33 Wilmington Ave., Rehoboth Beach, 278-7842

La Fia
421 N. Market St., Wilmington, 543-5574

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Thanks to Bravo reality stars on Below Deck and Summer House, the espresso martini is the trendy way to start—and end—an evening. But another coffee-spiked cocktail is picking up steam. Interest in the carajillo, an old Spanish libation, soared 118% in 2023, according to Yelp. Hot coffee or espresso is the mainstay, but the spirit changes depending on whether you’re in Spain (brandy or rum) or Mexico (Licor 43). Riley Quinn of Bin 66 in Rehoboth Beach says the wine-and-spirits shop has sold more Licor 43 in the past three months than it has in the past three years. At The Blue Hen in downtown Rehoboth, the carajillo is made with brown-butter-washed añejo tequila, cinnamon and espresso. The recipe at La Fia in downtown Wilmington includes cold-brew coffee, tequila and Licor 43. No matter the choice, the carajillo is a cocktail with a jolt.