Espresso corretto: which spirits to choose and a few useful tips

Those who love coffee and like alcohol know that a good espresso corretto is a real delight for the palate. Additionally, if paired with the right spirit, it can also prove to be an excellent after-dinner digestif. A particularly useful quality at times when you know you’re bound to binge on good food, like the Christmas season.

If you’re teetotal but curious to try espresso corretto, you could use one of the non-alcoholic spirits on sale, which have the same taste and aroma as the alcoholic versions.

There are also various regional versions of the espresso in which spirits are added to the coffee: let’s find out which spirits are the best matches for our favourite beverage.

Which spirits are the best matches for coffee?

Whether your espresso is made at home with a moka pot or an espresso machine, or even at the bar, these are the spirits that pair best with the taste of coffee:

– Brandy which, along with liquorice, is a pairing typically favoured for Calabrian coffee.
– Rum, perhaps with the addition of orange or mandarin peel.
– Aniseed liqueur which, along with rum, is typically combined with coffee in the Marche region of Italy.
– Grappa, preferably made with citrus fruits, sweet products or even coffee itself.
– Dry whisky, for fans of a stronger, bolder taste.
– Irish cream for those who want a whisky base note, but a sweeter, more delicate flavour.
– Very sweet, creamy liqueurs such as chocolate, liquorice or coffee flavoured ones.
– Citrusey liqueurs, to which you can add a wedge of the same citrus fruit used in the liqueur.
– Other herbal spirits, as well as sambuca, to be savoured first with the nose and then with the palate.

In fact, you can really let your imagination run wild when choosing the spirit to “correct” your espresso with, maybe to offer as an after-dinner digestif when you have guests round for lunch or dinner.

Some tips and tricks for an impeccable espresso corretto

To make a good espresso corretto, simply adding the spirit to the coffee is not enough. There are a few other tips to bear in mind:

– Do not use more than 4 or 5 ml of spirit in each small cup of espresso.
– Do not add sugar to the coffee and, if you’re not a fan of bitter flavours, choose creamy liqueurs with a sweeter taste.
– If you simply can’t do without sugar, add it when the coffee is piping hot, dissolving it completely and only add your spirit of choice when it has cooled down a little.
– Don’t forget the power of the sense of smell! Make sure you take in the aroma of your delicious espresso corretto for a few moments before enjoying its taste.