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Tia Maria is a darkcoffee liqueur made in Italy using Jamaicancoffee beans. The main ingredients are coffee beans, South Jamaicanrum,vanilla, andsugar, blended to an alcoholic content of 20%.
Tia Maria has its origins in Jamaica, where coffee liqueur had been produced for some time. In his bookJamaica Farewell,[1]Morris Cargill recounts having had the idea for developing a coffee liqueur similar to one his aunt used to make. In 1946, he had, to no avail, tried to get the original recipe from his aunt and subsequently connected with Dr Ken Evans, who then developed the recipe. They partnered with others in Jamaica (Herbert Hart, Eustace Myers ofMyers Rum, and Paul Geddes ofDesnoes & Geddes) to produce the first five thousand cases, withBlue Mountain coffee supplied byKeble Munn. Cargill contracted the London ad agency J.P. MacNulty to brand the product and design the labels. They spent days trying to come up with a name, until Cargill recounted the story of trying to get his aunt's original recipe and Joseph MacNulty said, "I know exactly what we'll call that damn liqueur. Aunt Mary – Tia Maria."[1]
Another account of its history says that a man named Dr. Evans discovered the drink afterWorld War II, and he began reproducing it. This story of Dr. Evans' devotion to the drink is part of the official website's history, however.[2] The Jamaican company Lascelles deMercado, producer ofAppleton Rum, supposedly manufactured theconcentrate from which the liqueur was made, at least, up until the time it was sold by Pernod.[3] As recently as the 1980s, Tia Maria was made with an alcohol concentration of 31.5% and positioned as a premium liqueur compared to the substantially different product now produced at 20% ABV. In 1985, brand owners Hiram Walker sued the Kirk Line over the loss of five thousand gallons of Tia Maria it had acquired from Estate Industries in Jamaica but was spilt in an accident.[4]
Control of theTia Maria brand moved to Europe in 1987 when Allied-Lyons of the UK acquired Canadian spirits company Hiram Walker.[5] The brand then became part of thePernod Ricard portfolio in 2005 through its acquisition of rival firmAllied-Domecq.[6] As part of a debt reduction programme,Pernod Ricard sold it toILLVA Saronno [it] in July 2009.[7][8] Following the sale,Chivas Brothers produced it for Saronno before production was transferred to Illva Saronno's distillery in Saronno, Italy.[9][10]Bacardi U.S.A., Inc. distributed it in the U.S. for Saronno. As of August 1, 2012, Kobrand became the distributor.[11][12]
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Tia Maria can be consumed straight withice but is also frequently used as an ingredient forcocktails or withcoffee. It may also be mixed withmilk and ice.
Some cocktails include the TiaEspresso Martini, the Dark Tia made withdark rum, the Naff Sam made with Tia Maria and orange juice, the Tia Maria andcola, or the Skinny Tia White Russian made with Tia Maria,vodka, and skimmed milk. Another cocktail known as a 'Baby Guinness' is Tia Maria mixed in equal parts withBaileys or anotherIrish cream.