A cortado is a delicious and energizing combo of espresso and milk, but it's important to understand what makes it different from a cortadito or noisette.

The beauty of the cortado is how the milk cuts the bitterness of the espresso while still allowing the flavors to shine. Next time you're ordering a little treat at your favorite cafe, make it a ...

A cortado's Gibraltar glass is wider at the top than the bottom, perfect for swirling the coffee to further blend that 50/50 balance of milk and espresso. It also adds to the minimalist effect; a ...

Or so it seems, because the cortado is The Order at today's best coffee shops—so much so, in fact, that it has its own hastag, # dailycortado.

A cortado is made with a 1:1 ratio of espresso and steamed milk. Starbucks' Cortado is made with ristretto shots, which are more concentrated.