Tia Mia Cocktail Recipe

The Tia Mia is a modern riff on the original Mai Tai that combines espadín mezcal, Jamaican rum, orange curaçao, orgeat, and fresh lime juice. Created in 2010 by bartender Ivy Mix at Julie Reiner’s Hawaiian-themed bar Lani Kai in New York City, the cocktail was Mix’s first original recipe to appear on a professional menu. Although Lani Kai closed after just two years, the Tia Mia quickly earned a following among New York bartenders and drinkers alike.

The cocktail later became a signature at Leyenda, the Brooklyn bar Mix and Reiner co-founded, and was also included in Mix’s James Beard Award–winning book Spirits of Latin America. With its name as a playful anagram of “Mai Tai,” the Tia Mia stands as both homage and evolution: a tropical classic reframed through the lens of agave spirits.

Why the Tia Mia works

Like Trader Vic’s original Mai Tai, the Tia Mia is built on the classic sour template: spirit, citrus, and sweetener. But instead of leaning solely on rum, Mix splits the base between mezcal and Jamaican rum. The mezcal provides smoky depth and savory minerality, while the Jamaican rum contributes punchy funk and ripe tropical fruit character. Together, they form a bolder, drier foundation than rum alone.

The cocktail uses orgeat and orange curaçao for sweetness. Orgeat delivers nutty, almond aromatics that play beautifully with mezcal’s earthiness. Curaçao adds subtle, dry, citrusy complexity without overwhelming the drink. Mix intentionally scaled back the curaçao from Trader Vic’s proportions, keeping the cocktail bright, dry, and spirit-forward.

Fresh lime juice adds freshness and acidity, tying the drink to its Mai Tai lineage while balancing out the sweeteners and the alcohol of the spirit blend. The resulting cocktail is a thoughtful update that feels modern while respecting Trader Vic’s original vision for the Mai Tai.