Spirits for the World Cup Finals: July 19, 2026

Over the years I’ve built a small global library of distilled spirits and fortified wines, and the World Cup Knockout Round feels like the perfect excuse to dig back into it - researching the producers, revisiting the bottles, and tasting my way through the bracket. Starting with the June 29th matches, I’ll be recommending one or two spirits for each game, whether they’re already on my shelf or simply deserve a place in the lineup. Click here to view the other World Cup matches.  Today’s final match: Spain vs Argentina.

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Spain vs Argentina

Carajillo  (Spain)
One of the Spanish watch parties in Washington D.C. is being held at the world class Casa Teresa restaurant and one of the cocktails they will be offering during the match is the Carajillo. This is usually an espresso based cocktail with equal parts Licor 43. However, the bartenders at Casa Teresa  have created a D.C. themed alternative using Licor 43, locally made Cotton & Reed PX Rum, and coffee liqueur. Since I actually have these ingredients I decided to replicate with a couple minor adjustments - specifically using honey syrup and chocolate bitters as a replacement for the carob syrup.

Licor 43 is a semi-sweet golden liqueur comprised of 43 botanicals that was featured in the Spirits for the World Cup Knockout Round: July 10, 2026. At the heart of Licor 43 is its blend of 43 botanicals: bright citrus peels, vanilla, warm spices, and Mediterranean herbs that create its signature aromatic profile. Vanilla leads the nose, but orange blossom, cinnamon, and herbal notes add depth. 

Cotton & Reed is Washington, D.C.’s first dedicated rum distillery that produces small‑batch rum using long fermentations from a blend of Louisiana and Brazilian molasses and using a hybrid pot‑and‑column still. Their PX Rum builds on this foundation: distilled from first‑press and blackstrap molasses, aged for over 18 months in new American oak for vanilla, caramel, and toasted wood notes, then finished in Pedro Ximénez sherry–seasoned casks that contribute dried‑fruit tones like figs and dates. 

McClintock Distilling’s Mayorga Coffee Liqueur is the result of a collaboration between the Frederick, Maryland distillery and Mayorga Organics. McClintock builds the liqueur on a neutral organic spirit, then infuses it with Mayorga’s roasted beans using a cold‑brew extraction that preserves the coffee’s natural chocolate, caramel, and roasted‑nut character without introducing bitterness. A touch of organic cane sugar rounds the edges.

The modified Carajillo cocktail:

• 2 oz Cotton & Reed PX Rum
• 1.5 oz Licor 43
• 1 oz McClintock Mayorga Coffee Liqueur
• .5 oz carob syrup or honey syrup and 3 dashes Scrappys chocolate bitters
• Bay Leaf Espuma 

Shake all ingredients with ice, then strain into a cocktail glass.  Garnish: Finish with Bay Leaf Espuma.

Lunfardo (Argentina)
I'm sticking with Fernet Branca for the finals and this time creating a truly Argentinian cocktail using Argentina’s signature wine: Malbec. The is the working class favorite, Lunfardo, basically Fernet and Malbec. This combination balances the bitter, herbal notes of the Fernet with the fruity depth of the Malbec. I chose the Trivento Reserve Malbec 2024 primarily for its accessibility. 

Trivento’s Argentina Reserve Malbec 2024 reflects the winery’s focus on accessible, fruit‑forward Mendoza reds shaped by high‑altitude vineyards and consistent sunlight. The wine leans into the hallmarks of modern Argentine Malbec: ripe blackberries, plum, and soft blueberry notes supported by gentle oak that adds vanilla and a touch of spice without weighing down the palate. Trivento uses a mix of estate and grower fruit from Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley, regions known for producing balanced, approachable Malbec with smooth tannins and a clean finish. 

As a recap, Fernet Branca is made from a grape‑distillate base infused with 27 botanicals sourced from four continents, including saffron, gentian, aloe ferox, chamomile, myrrh, and mint. These ingredients are macerated and matured in large Slavonian oak casks, where extended resting integrates the herbal components and softens the bitterness. Production relies on long extraction times and slow barrel aging, creating a profile defined by strong herbal intensity, cooling mint, and deep earthy notes. Visit Spirits for the World Cup Semifinals: July 15, 2026 for a longer description. 

The Lunfardo cocktail:

• 1 ½ oz Fernet
• 2 oz Malbec wine
• ¾ oz Classic Gum Syrup - Honey Syrup as an alternative

Shake all ingredients with ice, then strain into a cocktail glass.  Garnish: Finish with a lemon twist

Spirits for the World Cup Knockout Round: July 10, 2026

Over the years I’ve built a small global library of distilled spirits and fortified wines, and the World Cup Knockout Round feels like the perfect excuse to dig back into it - researching the producers, revisiting the bottles, and tasting my way through the bracket. Starting with the June 29th matches, I’ll be recommending one or two spirits for each game, whether they’re already on my shelf or simply deserve a place in the lineup. Click here to view the other World Cup Knockout Round matches.  Today's match for July 10th:

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Spain vs Belgium

Licor 43 (Spain)
For Spain's next match and out of original options within the homebar, I broke precident and visited my local ABC store to purchase the classic, Licor 43. Spain’s golden liqueur—Cuarenta y Tres—is deeply tied to Cartagena, the Mediterranean port city whose layers of Roman, Carthaginian, and Moorish history shape its identity. Although the modern brand dates to 1946, its inspiration reaches back to a spiced Roman elixir known as Liquor Mirabilis, giving the liqueur a cultural lineage that feels distinctly Spanish.

At the heart of Licor 43 is its blend of 43 botanicals: bright citrus peels, vanilla, warm spices, and Mediterranean herbs that create its signature aromatic profile. Vanilla leads the nose, but orange blossom, cinnamon, and herbal notes add depth. The palate is silky and sweet, finishing with a gentle citrus‑vanilla lift that makes the liqueur both approachable and surprisingly adaptable.

Licor 43’s modern production began in 1946, when Diego Zamora, along with his siblings Ángel and Josefa, established a small family operation in Cartagena to commercialize a refined version of the historic local recipe. The  business expanded steadily through the mid‑20th century, moving from regional distribution to national and eventually international markets. The Zamora family continued to oversee development, branding, and production as the company grew, and Licor 43 remains part of the broader Zamora Company, still guided by later generations.

One cocktail recipe the company suggests is the straightforward Licor 43 with Lemon (2 parts spirit to 1 part citrus) over ice.  I recommend  perhaps 1.5 parts citrus.

🍒 The Rodenbach Red Lace (Belgium)
I still can't get my hands on a Jenever, so I turned to an old favorite, Rodenbach Sour Ale. Rodenbach’s story begins in 1821, when Pedro Rodenbach and his family founded the brewery in Roeselare, thus establishing what would become one of Belgium’s most influential producers of mixed‑fermentation ales. Over the 19th century, the Rodenbachs refined a unique approach to brewing that relied on long maturation in massive oak foeders, allowing lactic acidity, red‑fruit character, and gentle oxidative notes to develop naturally. By the early 20th century, Rodenbach had become synonymous with Flemish red ale, preserving a regional style that might otherwise have disappeared. Today the brewery continues to operate with its historic foeder hall, maintaining techniques that link modern production directly to its 19th‑century origins.

Rodenbach Classic is the brewery’s benchmark expression -- a blend of young beer and beer aged up to two years in oak. This combination creates the signature balance of bright cherry‑red acidity, soft tannin, mild funk, and subtle wood. Classic is intentionally approachable: tart but not aggressive, fruity without sweetness, and structured enough to showcase the foeder influence. It remains one of Belgium’s most recognizable sour ales and a reference point for brewers worldwide exploring mixed fermentation.

Now, to keep within the spirits framework, we will be sipping the Rodenbach Red Lace cocktail. The concept behind the Red Lace is for the Rodenbach to bring red‑fruit acidity, lactic tang, and subtle oak. A dry base spirit adds structure without overshadowing the ale, citrus provides lift, and a small bitter accent ties the fruit and grain together. 

For the gin, once again we are continuing our celebration of 250 Independence Days with the Virginia 250th Anniversary Gin from the Virginia: Birthplace of American Spirits Collection. This botanic gin was crafted by Peter Ahlf and Kimberly Nuckols of Mt. Defiance Cidery & Distillery with blending support from Barry Haneberg of Virago Spirits and Peter Morgner of Vitae Spirits. It draws on a London Dry structure featuring Italian juniper, angelica, coriander, orris root, and lemon peel layered with Virginia botanicals such as pawpaw, rose, sassafras, and sumac to evoke the aromatic character of the state’s mountain landscapes. 

The Rodenbach Red Lace

Formula 

• 1.25 oz dry gin or light rum
• 0.5 oz fresh lemon juice
• 0.25 oz simple syrup (optional; depends on the batch of Rodenbach)
• 1 dash aromatic bitters
• Top with Rodenbach Flemish Sour Ale
• Optional: thin orange peel or cherry