The liquored-up hot coffee drink called the carajillo originated in Spain, and was brought to Mexico by Spanish settlers in the 19th century, where it morphed from a working class beverage to a favorite among the elite class. Still, it wasn't until the mid-20th century that carajillo became associated with a specific liquor: Licor 34.

Licor 43 began as "liqvor mirabilis" ("marvelous liquid"), a drink that dates back over 2,000 years to the Roman occupation of Cartagena, Spain. The Carthaginians made the liquor in secret, since the Romans outlawed the enticingly intoxicating fruit-and-herb liqueur, and the Licor 43 brand hit the market way later in 1946.

That year, the Zamora family began selling Licor 43 made from their age-old secret recipe, and it's now the signature liquor for carajillo. While the main ingredients are always coffee and Licor 43, you can order a carajillo "puesto" (served over ice) or carajilla "shakeado" (shaken in a cocktail shaker, blended until frothy, and poured over ice).