Five layers in a transparent glass. Sweetened condensed milk at the bottom, a golden dash of Licor 43, dark brown espresso, white milk foam, and on top — cinnamon and a hint of lemon zest. The barraquito is the most photographed coffee in Tenerife before it's even been drunk. You'll find it in every bar on the island, from beachside chiringuitos to gourmet restaurants, and it costs between €2.50 and €4. It's as much a dessert as a coffee. And yes — you mix it all together before drinking. The layers are for the eyes. The chaos is for the taste.
The most widespread origin: mid-20th century, Bar Imperial, Santa Cruz de Tenerife. A regular named Sebastián Rubio, nicknamed "Barraco" (Portuguese for "shack"), ordered the same special cortado every day — with sweetened condensed milk in a large glass, a small glass of Licor 43, a lemon zest, and cinnamon. The bartender eventually named the drink after his customer. Bar Imperial still exists today, near Plaza de la Paz. Other versions credit the invention to a waiter at a bar popular with Santa Cruz artists. Whatever the truth, the barraquito spread across all the Canary Islands but remains unknown on the Spanish mainland — order one in Madrid and you'll get blank stares.
"Un barraquito, por favor" is enough in 90% of bars. For the full version with alcohol: "barraquito especial" or "barraquito completo". Without alcohol: "barraquito sin licor" or "barraquito virgen". In northern Tenerife, between Buenavista and Puerto de la Cruz, people say "zaperoco" instead of barraquito — same drink, different name. In Santa Cruz and La Laguna, be careful: "barraquito" can refer to a simple sweetened condensed milk coffee (leche-leche). Specify "con Licor 43" to make sure you get the real deal. Every barman has his own version — some add cocoa instead of cinnamon, others add whipped cream. The "barraquito de la casa" is always a good bet.