The espresso martini seems to be everyone’s go-to late-night drink these days. Created in the 1980s, this cocktail has made a roaring comeback in recent years, and while some thought it would be just another fad, there’s now a version of it in almost every restaurant and bar. Bartenders who used to roll their eyes at it are now taking it seriously, crafting their own spin.

In the last year, people’s thirst for new trends led the way for a new sheriff in town: the carajillo. But don’t let its recent popularity fool you. While the cocktail made from Licor 43 and espresso just recently took hold in the US, it’s been a staple in places like Mexico and Spain for much longer. The carajillo’s creation even predates the espresso martini; we’re all just late to the game.

Isaac Farias, a San Antonio–based brand ambassador for Brugal rum and self-described history fanatic, says the carajillo recipe originally called for rum and espresso. And although no one really knows how the drink first came to be, there are some fun stories out there.

One of Farias’s favorites takes us back to the 1800s. When Spanish soldiers were fighting in Cuba during Spain’s occupation, they needed some courage—and caffeine—to help them get through their battles. So they went to their local spots and asked for coraje, which translates to courage, and the bartenders gave them a drink now known as the carajillo. Another story suggests it began in Catalonia, Spain, where people were going to their local bars asking for brandy and rum in their coffee.

The carajillo really gained momentum in the 1940s with the invention of Licor 43. While the liqueur was created in Spain, Mexico was the first to incorporate it into its cocktails, creating the classic two-ingredient carajillo most bars offer today. Licor 43 is said to have 43 ingredients—of course, the exact recipe is a secret, but the top notes include citrus, herbs, spices, and vanilla. Farias says it’s added to the carajillo to take some of the bitterness away from the coffee, and having a citrus element when crafting a cocktail helps marry the flavors.

Today, we thankfully drink carajillos for enjoyment and don’t need any courage for a battlefield—well, other than life. It’s not just a dessert drink like the espresso martini: It doubles as a digestif with its blend of caffeine with herbal and citrus notes, making it a great way for people to end the night. But the best part about the drink is its versatility. With the ability to do so many different plays on it through various coffee beans and spirits, there’s a chance no carajillo will taste the same. Over the years, Mexican people have taken the drink to new heights.

Hugo Ortega, an award-winning chef and the most influential Mexican restaurateur in Houston, has made sure to add the carajillo to some of his restaurants’ menus. At Caracol, diners can order a Oaxacan carajillo, made with Licor 43, mezcal, and café de olla. Flora, an upscale Mexican restaurant on the banks of Buffalo Bayou, serves what it calls a Carajillo Improved, made with the traditional Licor 43 and espresso, plus orange liqueur.

Musaafer, a fine-dining Indian restaurant in the Galleria, has also adopted the cocktail and added its own twist to it. In its Rebirth cocktail, the restaurant uses Brugal 1888 rum instead of Licor 43, first flush ChaiBoy tea rather than espresso, and charred pineapple, chai bitters, blackstrap bitters, and for some added fun, CBD.

It isn’t just bars and restaurants playing around with the carajillo. Owners of coffee shops are dipping their toes into the world of cocktails, and naturally, the carajillo has translated well for this. Maven Coffee + Cocktails sticks to the classic version of the two-ingredient cocktail but uses its own cold brew. Tenfold Coffee, which just opened its second location in the Norton Rose Fulbright tower downtown, also has expanded offerings with a new cocktail menu that features a carajillo. Tenfold cofounder Jacob Ibarra says the café’s passion for Mexican coffee goes beyond sourcing the beans, it’s also about honoring deep-rooted traditions and culture, so adding the coffee-based drink that has such a rich history in Mexico felt like a natural step.

Farias says Houston’s cocktail and food culture is some of the best in Texas. His own favorite versions of carajillos come from spots right here in Space City. With the world of dessert cocktails taking off, we can’t wait to see what’s next.

“Houston is such a big melting pot,” Farias says. “There are so many different people who are able to create such amazing food and cocktails, and what they’re doing really pays homage to the future of our industry. The sky is the limit.”