While you're probably familiar with Tia Maria – a sweet liqueur with a strong coffee character and a powerhouse of aromatics – you may not recognize her the next time you meet.

The coffee liqueur has an updated bottle for 2020, with sultry black and red design to reflect the one of a kind character Tia Maria is. The new and improved shape – with soft, clean lines – boasts a curvaceous profile that matches perfectly with the new graphic label. Bold red strokes capture the brand’s dynamic energy, while staying true to the classic coffee liqueur's ethos of uniqueness.

However, Tia Maria is still the same liquid you know and love. Tia Maria might be less than a century old, but its roots date back to the 17th century. A young Spanish aristocrat’s maid saved an ancient manuscript with the recipe for a mysterious liqueur during the colonial war in Jamaica – one which would later be named after the courageous woman. Though the recipe laid dormant for many years, eventually Dr. Kenneth Leigh Evans discovered it in the 1940s and began to produce the popular coffee drink – the same liqueur that was used in the very first espresso martini, made over forty years ago.

Made using only the finest blend of 100 per cent Arabica coffee, Tia Maria owes its distinctive roasted flavours and intense coffee aroma to the cold brew extraction that goes into every bottle. The beans are coarsely ground and steeped in water for up to 12 hours, ensuring the perfect extraction and a smooth coffee base for the beverage. Madagascar vanilla is then added to provide the liqueur with a delicate, fragrant back note. Finally, Jamaican rum is blended to lend the body, depth and structure we associate with this coffee-flavoured favourite.

We know that Tia Maria is great on its own, but because of its caramel flavours and notes of vanilla and caramelized sugar, it goes great in a number of cocktails. Add tonic water and lemon juice for a Tia tonic, shake things up with rum and milk for a Tia flat white Russian or stick to its roots with a Tia espresso martini. Or amp up your morning coffee with a splash of Tia Maria – we won’t tell if you won’t.

For more Tia Maria cocktail recipes and to learn more, head to tiamaria.com