Tia Mia

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Cocktail History

The Tia Mia is a tiki cocktail that was created by Ivy Mix at her bar Leyenda in New York City, New York. The recipe is meant to be a Mexico-inspired variation of the Mai Tai that is similar to the classic in that it’s made with dark rum, lime, orange curaçao, and orgeat, but it splits the rum base with mezcal for more smoky flavor. Its name is also a play on the original Mai Tai’s that swaps the a’s and i’s in both words.

Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Mezcal: This is a spirit made in Mexico with fermented agave and yeast, which are distilled after roasting agave hearts in underground pits to develop a smoky, complex flavor.

Dark Rum: This is a type of rum made with fermented sugarcane juice or molasses and yeast, which are distilled and then aged, often in charred barrels, to develop a full-bodied, caramelized flavor.

Lime Juice: This is the liquid extracted from the flesh of ripe limes that has a zesty, sour flavor and light green color.

Orange Curaçao: This is a liqueur made with bitter orange peels, brandy or distilled alcohol, water, and sugar, which are blended and infused to develop a sweet, rich citrus flavor.

Orgeat Syrup: This is a sweetener made with almonds, white sugar, and water, which are blended and flavored with orange flower water to develop a nutty, floral sweetness.

Lime Wheel: This is a lime slice that has been cut into a circular shape.

Mint: This is an herb made from the leaves of the mint plant, which are harvested and used for their cool, aromatic flavor.

Orchid Blossom: This is the flower of an orchid plant.

Bartending Tools

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:

Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. I used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. I used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.

Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. I used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.

Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. I used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.

Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Pale yellow color

• Aroma: Mint, almond, and citrus

• Taste: Tangy lime-forward flavor with rum’s overripe fruit qualities, nuttiness, and smoky mezcal

• Finish: More citrus and earthy almond

Kendall’s Take: “I will be the first to admit that I do not care for all that much mezcal yet, so when I saw a full ounce used in this recipe, I expected that I wouldn’t like this drink at all. I’m happy to report I was pleasantly surprised by how tasty it was! The mezcal is definitely there, but it’s not as harsh as it can be in other recipes. Similar to several of the more subtly smoky drinks I’ve tried recently, I would call the Tia Mia a great gateway to drinking more mezcal cocktails. It’ll quickly help you get used to its strong flavor.”

Recipe