A few weeks back, the NY Times ran a recipe for a Carajillo, which was essentially just equal parts espresso (or cold brew concentrate) and Licor 43. I gave it a try and liked it quite a bit.
Lots of people pointed out in the comments that in whatever region they lived, the Carajillo used a different base spirit, frequently brandy. I filed this information away for later.
The next week, a friend took me to a bar that makes Espresso Martinis with a vanilla infused bourbon. This got me thinking.
So now I have made the Kentucky Carajillo -- a mash-up of the NY Times Carajillo, Jeffrey Morganthaler's Espresso Martini, and my home state's most famous export. Enjoy!
Kentucky Carajillo
1 1/4 oz espresso or cold brew concentrate
1 oz bourbon
3/4 oz Kahlua
1/2 oz Licor 43
2 dashes cacao bitters
1 dash Angostura bitters
Shake and strain over fresh ice. Express lemon peel over the top and garnish.
You may want to adjust the amount of Kahlua and Licor 43 for sweetness, especially if you are using a different coffee liqueur. Or up the amount of bourbon if you'd like it boozier. And I just started adding the Angostura recently. This is a fun template to just make something you like.
(I will admit to using some Fee Bros foaming agent for the photo since the cold brew won't foam like espresso.)
#cocktails #bourbon #coffee