Liqueur Tia Maria. Tia Maria is a popular rum-based liqueur that has the taste of lightly roasted arabica coffee, delicate notes of chocolate, caramel and vanilla. Tia Maria's exotic character has origins in the Caribbean. The original recipe is over 300 years old but was first introduced as Tia Maria in 1952 by Dr. Kenneth Leigh Evans. You can enjoy Tia Maria neat, on the rocks and is a key ingredient for many popular cocktails (ex espresso martini).