Tia Maria Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur
Tia Maria Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur is a 26.5% ABV (53 proof), 750mL coffee liqueur in its current US bottling, made by cold-brew extraction of 100% Arabica coffee beans with Madagascar vanilla and Jamaican rum for body and structure. The cold-brew method is the brand's signature: it draws out intense coffee aroma with fresh acidity and less bitterness than hot extraction. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- ABV: 26.5% (53 proof) — US bottling
- Size: 750mL
- Coffee: 100% Arabica, cold-brew extraction
- Key ingredients: Arabica coffee, Madagascar vanilla, Jamaican rum
- Style: Coffee liqueur
- Signature serve: Espresso Martini
The Coffee Liqueur the Espresso Martini Was Built On
Brand legend traces the recipe to 17th-century Jamaica, where a maid — the "Tia Maria" — is said to have saved it during a colonial conflict; the recipe was rediscovered and commercialised in the 1940s by Dr Kenneth Leigh Evans, and the liqueur has been poured since 1950. Its defining modern role came in 1983, when Dick Bradsell's first Espresso Martini in London was built on it. The bottle was redesigned in 2021 with the cold-brew method front and centre. Find it among our liqueurs, browse the wider spirits shelf, or visit the Tia Maria vendor page.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Strong fresh coffee with light chocolate and a trace of pipe tobacco. Palate: Sweet and soft at first, then deep coffee and chocolate balanced by cacao, dried fruit and vanilla. Finish: Caramelised cane sugar softening a lingering coffee close.
How to Enjoy
Shake it with vodka and a fresh espresso shot for the Espresso Martini it was made for — also at home in a White Russian, over ice, or lengthened with tonic.
Frequently Asked Questions
What proof is Tia Maria in the US? The US 750mL bottling is 26.5% ABV (53 proof). Bottlings in some other markets differ, which is why other strengths circulate online.
Is Tia Maria made with real coffee? Yes — the liqueur is built on cold-brew extraction of 100% Arabica beans, with Madagascar vanilla and Jamaican rum.
What is Tia Maria best used for? The Espresso Martini above all — it is the liqueur the original 1983 recipe was built on — plus White Russians and simple over-ice pours.
Shake up the original — order Tia Maria Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.