In the glass
You taste the espresso first. The milk takes the edge off its intensity and its acidity. Milk drinks like this are usually served at about 55 to 60 °C. The traditional Spanish glass has a metal ring base and a wire handle.
The name
Cortado is Spanish for cut. The milk cuts the espresso, softening its bite. The drink comes from Spain. Its birthplace is often traced to the Basque Country, but not much is known for sure. In Catalonia it is a tallat. In the Basque Country it is an ebaki. In Portugal it is a pingado. A French noisette is close. An Australian piccolo latte is similar, though not identical.
Next to the others
All four are espresso and milk, so the choice is about how much milk you want. The less milk, the more of the coffee you taste. A macchiato stays closest to straight espresso. A latte is the mildest and the largest. A cortado and a flat white sit between them, the cortado nearer the coffee.
| Macchiato | Cortado | Flat white | Latte | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Espresso to milk | About 1 : 0.25-0.5 | About 1 : 1 | About 1 : 2-3 | About 1 : 4-5 |
| Typical size | About 60 ml | 120-150 ml | 150-180 ml | 200-300 ml |
| Foam | A spot | Little or none | Thin, about 5 mm | About 1 cm |
How to order one
In Spain, ask for un cortado. Expect a single shot in a small glass. The milk is often less than the coffee. Specialty cafés usually pull a double shot. The milk goes up to match. In the US you may see it called a Gibraltar. There both names mostly mean the same drink, though cortado is the broader term. If you want less coffee, ask for a single shot.
At home, without a machine
A moka pot gets you closest to espresso. An AeroPress works too. Brew about 60 ml. Warm the same amount of milk to 55 to 65 °C (130 to 150 °F). Froth it for 10 to 15 seconds, no longer. Pour the milk over the coffee in a small glass. Call it cortado-style: without an espresso machine it is a close cousin, not the real thing.