In Spanish tapas cuisine, what does the name carajillo refer to?

In Spanish tapas cuisine, a carajillo is coffee with liquor. The drink combines coffee with a spirit such as brandy, rum, or whisky and is often served after a meal or alongside a small snack.

Carajillo is part of Spain’s café and bar culture rather than a food tapa in the narrow sense. Its exact preparation varies: the liquor may be added directly to hot coffee, heated first, or flambéed with sugar and spices in more elaborate versions.

The drink is often linked to working-class and military traditions, although its precise origin story is disputed. That uncertainty explains why several legends circulate about the name. Regardless of the legend, the stable definition is coffee strengthened with a distilled alcoholic drink.