Cuarenta Y Tres Cordials
Spain's golden vanilla liqueur, poured in Commack since the nineties.
The story behind Cuarenta Y Tres
Licor 43 takes its name from the 43 natural ingredients in the recipe, and its story starts far earlier than the bottle. In 209 B.C. Roman forces took Carthago Nova, modern Cartagena, and found a local golden elixir they called Liqvor Mirabilis. They banned it. The locals kept brewing it anyway. The modern chapter opens in 1946, when Diego, Angel and Josefina Zamora and Josefina's husband Emilio Restoy bought a Cartagena distillery and revived the formula.
The family still makes it there, and only there. Five of the 43 botanicals are public: vanilla, orange, lemon, coriander and green tea. The rest is a secret held by a handful of people. Maceration, fusion, six to nine months resting in stainless steel, five days at minus 5 degrees Celsius, then microfiltration. That last step is why it pours so clean.
Explore the Cuarenta Y Tres range
One original recipe, four bottle sizes on our shelf. The 750mL is the one that moves; the rest we bring in for pourers and party hosts.
| Expression | Type | Proof / ABV | Tasting notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licor 43 Original 750mL | Golden vanilla and citrus liqueur | 62 (31% ABV) | Vanilla, honey, Mediterranean orange, baking spice |
| Licor 43 Original 375mL | Golden vanilla and citrus liqueur | 62 (31% ABV) | Same recipe, half bottle, good for the freezer |
| Licor 43 Original 1L | Golden vanilla and citrus liqueur | 62 (31% ABV) | Bar pour size for carajillos and mini beers |
| Licor 43 Original 1.75L | Golden vanilla and citrus liqueur | 62 (31% ABV) | Large format for weddings and back bars |
| Licor 43 Horchata | Tiger nut cream liqueur | 32 (16% ABV) | Vegan, cream free, horchata spice and citrus |
| Licor 43 Baristo | Coffee liqueur | 62 (31% ABV) | Canary Islands Arabica Typica, volcanic soil |
| Licor 43 Chocolate | Cocoa liqueur | 32 (16% ABV) | Cocoa and vanilla, contains milk, not vegan |
Which Cuarenta Y Tres is right for you?
The 750mL of Licor 43 runs $26.99 here, which lands inside the $26 to $32 range you will see nationally and usually at the low end of it. The 375mL is $14.99 when we have it, the 1L is $29.99 and the 1.75L is $48.99. Stock on the smaller and larger formats comes and goes, so call the store at (631) 343-7200 before you drive out for a case. The 750mL is the safe bet for a home bar.
Carajillo duty. Keeps in the freezer, pours into hot coffee without fuss.
Mini beer shots for a crowd, with enough left for milk punches.
Canary Islands Arabica gives it a roast backbone Kahlua cannot match.