IBA Tiki

Also known as Tiki Cocktail, IBA Tiki Drink

A bright, rum-driven tropical drink that leans heavy on citrus and almond sweetness without needing a whole cabinet of tiki syrups.

tikirumalmondlimeorangetropicalrefreshingshaken

ABV

Difficulty

Overview

What this drink is like

The first sip hits you with sharp lime and sweet orange, backed by the warm, slightly funky depth of dark rum. Mid-palate, the orgeat's almond richness comes through and smooths out the edges. It finishes with a lingering citrus peel warmth and a faint bitter bite from the rum.

Who will like it

Great for drinkers who like Mai Tais or Daiquiris but want something with a bit more weight and a nutty, rounded edge.

When to drink

Break this out on a hot afternoon or as the first round at a summer cookout when you want something refreshing that still packs a punch.

Ordering tip

Ask the bartender if they use fresh lime juice and real orgeat—those two things make or break the drink.

Ice: CrushedTemp: ColdCost: $10–$15Glass: TikiBatch-friendlyHome bar friendly

Flavor

Taste profile

This drink hits with a bright, sweet-and-sour citrus punch right away, then settles into a richer, nutty almond note from the orgeat. The dark rum gives it some weight and a warm, slightly funky undertone that keeps it from tasting like a simple fruit juice. It is cold, sharp, and refreshing on the first round, with just enough going on to keep you interested. The body is light but not thin, with a soft texture from the almond syrup. It is an easy drinker that still has a bit of a kick.

Finish: The finish is medium-long, with lime zest and a warm, brown-sugar rum note lingering after the sweetness fades.

Primary tastes

sweetsourfruity

Secondary

nuttyearthy

Aroma

lime zestalmondmintbrown sugar

Bitternesslow bitterness
Only a faint bitter edge from the dark rum and orange curaçao, barely noticeable against the sweet and sour.
Sweetnessfairly sweet
The orgeat, curaçao, and simple syrup push this firmly into sweet territory, but the lime juice keeps it from getting cloying.
Sournessbalanced acidity
The fresh lime juice hits right in the middle, cutting through the sweetness so the drink feels lively rather than flat.
Strengthmoderately strong
The 50ml pour of dark rum gives it a solid backbone that you feel after a few sips, even with all the mixers.
Refreshingvery refreshing
Cold crushed ice, sharp lime, and bright orange make this a drink that cools you down fast on a warm day.
Creaminesslight body
The orgeat gives the drink a slightly silky weight on the tongue, but it still drinks light and crisp.
Complexitymoderately complex
The layers of almond, citrus, and rum unfold a bit as you sip, but it is straightforward and easy to read.

Recipe

Make it at home

Shaken · Tiki · equal parts on Dark Rum. Jamaican or demerara rum recommended for depth

Before you start

Make sure your lime is fresh and your shaker is ready. If your orgeat has separated, give the bottle a good shake before pouring.

Ingredients

Dark RumBase Spirit50ml
Orange CuraçaoLiqueur20ml
Orgeat SyrupSyrupAlmond-flavored syrup15ml
Fresh Lime JuiceJuiceFreshly squeezed, not bottled20ml
Simple SyrupSyrup10ml
Lime WheelGarnish1 piece
Mint SprigGarnish1 sprig

Garnish: Lime wheel, Mint sprig

Tools

Cocktail Shaker · Shaking
To chill and mix the rum, juices, and syrups thoroughly with ice
At home: A large mason jar with a tight lid
Jigger · Measuring
To measure the rum, curaçao, orgeat, and juices accurately
At home: A measuring shot glass or tablespoon set
Hawthorne Strainer · Straining
To keep the ice out of the glass when pouring the drink
At home: A fine mesh kitchen sieve
Tiki Mug · Serving
To serve the drink in the traditional style
At home: A rocks glass or any fun ceramic mug
Citrus Juicer · Other
To squeeze fresh lime juice
At home: Squeeze by hand and strain out seeds
Bar Spoon · optional · Mixing
To stir the drink gently after pouring if needed
At home: A long iced tea spoon

Steps

1
Cut your lime in half and squeeze 20ml of juice into your jigger, then pour it into the empty shaker. Add 50ml dark rum, 20ml orange curaçao, 15ml orgeat, and 10ml simple syrup right on top of the juice.
!Pouring orgeat before the juice can make it stick to the bottom of the shaker and not mix well later.
2
Fill the shaker about two-thirds full with ice cubes. The ice should come up above the liquid line so everything gets cold fast when you shake.
!Under-filling the shaker with ice means the drink won't get cold enough and will water down too fast.
3
Seal the shaker tight and shake hard for about 10 to 12 seconds. You want to hear the ice rattling around sharply, and the metal outside of the shaker should feel frosty and cold to the touch when you're done.
~12s
!Shaking too gently or too briefly leaves the orgeat and syrup heavy at the bottom instead of mixed in.
4
Pop the top off the shaker and fit a Hawthorne strainer over the opening. Pour the drink through the strainer into a tiki mug or rocks glass filled with fresh crushed ice, letting the liquid settle into the ice.
!Pouring too fast will make the drink overflow or splash over the rim of the mug.
5
Top off the glass with a little more crushed ice if it looks low, then slap a lime wheel and a mint sprig on top. The mint should sit right at the rim so you smell it when you take a sip.
!Burying the mint deep in the ice hides the aroma and makes the garnish useless.

Serve

Serve it right away while the outside of the glass is still frosty. The crushed ice will melt slowly, keeping the drink cold without watering it down too fast.

Variations

Ingredient substitutions

Each row shows what you can swap in place of an original ingredient, and how the drink changes.

Swap options for Dark Rum

Dark RumGold Rum
Match
Common availability
Dark Rum → Gold Rum: Lighter and less funky, which makes the drink taste cleaner but loses some depth.
Dark RumAged Rhum Agricole
Match
Specialty availability
Dark Rum → Aged Rhum Agricole: Adds a grassy, vegetal note that clashes a bit with the almond but adds interesting complexity.

Swap options for Orange Curaçao

Orange CuraçaoTriple Sec
Match
Common availability
Orange Curaçao → Triple Sec: Drier and less rich, which makes the drink taste sharper and less rounded.
Orange CuraçaoBlue Curaçao
Match
Common availability
Orange Curaçao → Blue Curaçao: Nearly identical flavor but turns the drink a bright blue-green color.

Swap options for Orgeat Syrup

Orgeat SyrupAmaretto
Match
Common availability
Orgeat Syrup → Amaretto: Adds almond flavor but also brings alcohol and a slightly more bitter, apricot-pit edge.
Orgeat SyrupHazelnut Syrup
Match
Common availability
Orgeat Syrup → Hazelnut Syrup: Changes the nut profile entirely, making it toastier and less floral.

Similar cocktails

Cousin drinks that share DNA with this one — each profile stands on its own.

Similar cocktail

Mai Tai

The Mai Tai typically uses a split base of light and dark rum and skips the simple syrup, making it drier and slightly more spirit-forward.

Match

Both drinks share that classic almond-lime-rum interplay, but the IBA Tiki tastes sweeter and a bit heavier, while the Mai Tai reads drier and lets the rum speak more directly.

In common: tiki style, rum base, almond and citrus flavor profile, shaken and served over crushed ice

Ingredients

Both share

Dark Rum, Orange Curaçao, Fresh Lime Juice, Orgeat Syrup

Only in IBA Tiki

Simple Syrup

Only in Mai Tai

Light Rum

The IBA Tiki uses simple syrup to boost sweetness and relies on a single dark rum, while the Mai Tai skips the extra syrup and splits the rum base for a drier, more layered strength.

Flavor

Shared flavors

almond and lime backbone, citrus brightness, rum warmth

How Mai Tai differs

sweeter, less spirit-forward, simpler rum depth

View recipe & details →

Similar cocktail

Daiquiri

The Daiquiri is a simple three-ingredient sour served up, while the IBA Tiki adds almond and orange flavors and serves it over ice.

Match

The Daiquiri is sharp, clean, and spirit-focused, whereas the IBA Tiki is broader, sweeter, and nuttier with a longer, colder drinking experience.

In common: rum base, sour family roots, shaken and served cold

Ingredients

Both share

Dark Rum, Fresh Lime Juice, Simple Syrup

Only in IBA Tiki

Orange Curaçao, Orgeat Syrup

The IBA Tiki builds directly on the Daiquiri's rum-lime-sugar core by layering in orange curaçao and orgeat, shifting it from a clean sour to a richer tiki drink.

Flavor

Shared flavors

sharp lime acidity, rum backbone, sweet-sour balance

How Daiquiri differs

nuttier, sweeter, more complex, longer and colder

View recipe & details →

History

Origin

This is a modern standardized recipe created by the International Bartenders Association to represent a classic tiki flavor profile for competition and reference purposes. It does not have a single original creator or bar origin, but rather pulls from the broader tiki tradition established in the mid-20th century.

Creator: International Bartenders Association
IBA: New Era Drinks
Data version: IBA 2020 spec
Confidence

This is the official IBA specification for the Tiki cocktail, standardized for competition use.

Practical

Tips & pitfalls

What works at home and what to skip when making this drink.

Tips

Worth knowing before you pour

Use a good quality orgeat with real almond extract, not cheap coffee syrups.
Slap the mint sprig between your hands before garnishing to release the oils.
If your curaçao is very sweet, cut the simple syrup in half to keep it balanced.

Avoid

Common mistakes

Using bottled lime juice will make the drink taste flat and metallic.
Shaking with small ice chips waters the drink down too fast.