Licor 43 - tasty Spanish liqueur

Licor 43 is one fine sipping liqueur. In fact, I've had guests literally licking out the inside of a shot glass when I've served this as a dessert drink. With most spirits, that would say more about my guests than the liquor, but with Licor 43, it really is that good.

The name sounds somewhat odd until you realize that it simply means that it's a liquor with 43 ingredients in it. There's also a mysterious legend associated with it which involves Romans, Carthage, invasions, and a secret formula passed on from generation to generation. There's probably a tie to the Da Vinci Code conspiracy in there too if you dig deep enough.

The first thing one notices when tasting Licor 43 is its wonderfully rich vanilla flavor. That's followed by citrus and spice with some cognac notes in the finish which help balance its mellow sweetness.

Licor 43 is featured in a lot of dessert cocktails (see the flashy Licor 43 site for some ideas). I find I enjoy it most sipping it neat. You can find it at a variety of Washington liquor stores state-wide, though it's much more prevalent on the western side of the mountains.