Licor 43 is the most famous and best-selling Spanish liqueur. It was developed in 1946 in Cartagena, southeast Spain. The recipe was created by Diego Zamora’s family, who still own and produce the liqueur. As its name suggests, the liqueur contains 43 different herbs, spices, flowers, roots and fruits. The main spices are vanilla and orange, and Licor 43 is generally classified as a subcategory of vanilla liqueurs. Licor 43 is particularly popular in Mexico and now in the USA, where it has become a favorite liqueur among bartenders. In addition to the traditional Licor 43, the distillery produces different versions, including coffee and chocolate-flavored liqueurs and a few cream liqueurs. A 50 cl bottle of Licor 43 cost €14.95 in a grocery store in Tallinn.

The liqueur is golden yellow in the glass and very thick in texture. The smell has vanilla and a little bit of other spices in the background. The aroma is very light, not at all like a traditional herbal liqueur. The mouthfeel is syrupy thick, but the alcohol quickly cuts through the excess sweetness. Vanilla is the anchor flavor, there is also a bit of orange and chocolate. The taste is not herbal at all, where are the 40 other herbs and spices? However, various spicy nuances emerge in the aftertaste. But this is a rather subdued liqueur for those who expect a herbal bomb based on the liqueur name. The ethanol burn is quite sharp and it pushes through, even though there is a lot of added sugar. There is no bitterness at all. Licor 43 is quite similar to Galliano Vanilla, that other well-known vanilla liqueur. Galliano was clearly spicier, while Licor 43 is rather flat and one-sided. It is almost pure vanilla liqueur, the other spices are nearly completely behind the main flavor.

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