Collins Orgeat 375ML

Collins Orgeat 375ML is a non-alcoholic almond cocktail syrup in a 375ml bottle, made with real sugar and natural almond flavoring. Developed in collaboration with professional bartenders, this syrup contains no high fructose corn syrup — a detail that separates it from many mass-market alternatives and delivers cleaner sweetness in finished drinks.

Quick Facts: ABV: 0% (Non-Alcoholic Syrup)  |  Origin: Chicago, Illinois, USA  |  Style: Orgeat (Almond Syrup)  |  Brand: Collins by True Brands

Production & Heritage

Collins is a bar essentials brand operated by True Brands out of Chicago, Illinois, focused on providing bartender-grade mixers and syrups. Their orgeat is formulated with real sugar and natural almond flavoring rather than artificial sweeteners or high fructose corn syrup. Orgeat itself is a traditional French-origin syrup historically made from almonds, sugar, and rose or orange blossom water — an indispensable ingredient in tiki and tropical cocktail culture since the mid-20th century.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Pronounced sweet almond leads immediately, followed by delicate orange blossom and a faint citrus lift. The scent is rich without being cloying, with a clean, natural quality.

Taste: The initial impression is smooth almond sweetness with a creamy, almost marzipan-like character on entry. At mid-palate, subtle floral notes — specifically orange blossom — emerge alongside a gentle nuttiness. The real sugar base provides a rounder, more balanced sweetness than corn syrup-based alternatives.

Finish: Medium length with lingering almond and a light floral trail. The texture remains silky without excessive stickiness, making it easy to incorporate into cocktails without over-sweetening.

How to Use Collins Orgeat

Orgeat is most commonly used as a cocktail ingredient rather than consumed on its own. A small pour — typically half an ounce to three-quarters of an ounce — adds depth to rum-forward and citrus-based drinks.

• Mai Tai: Orgeat is the defining ingredient in this classic tiki cocktail, providing the signature almond sweetness that balances aged rum and lime.
• Japanese Cocktail: A 19th-century recipe from Jerry Thomas's bar manual, pairing cognac with orgeat and Angostura bitters for an elegant, nutty sipper.
• Scorpion Bowl: This communal tiki punch relies on orgeat to round out a potent blend of rum, brandy, and citrus juices.

Beyond cocktails, Collins Orgeat works well stirred into iced coffee, drizzled over shaved ice, or mixed into lemonade for a non-alcoholic almond refresher.

Best For

• Building a home tiki bar with essential cocktail ingredients
• Hosting a tropical-themed cocktail party with authentic Mai Tais
• Gifting to a home bartender expanding their syrup collection
• Adding almond depth to coffee drinks, mocktails, and dessert beverages

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Collins Orgeat taste like? Collins Orgeat has a smooth, sweet almond flavor with hints of orange blossom and citrus, backed by a creamy, marzipan-like richness from its real sugar and natural almond base.

How does Collins Orgeat compare to Fee Brothers Orgeat? Both are widely available almond syrups used in cocktail making, but Collins emphasizes its use of real sugar and no high fructose corn syrup, while Fee Brothers has a longer heritage as a bitters and syrup producer dating to 1864. Flavor profiles are similar, though bartenders often note subtle differences in sweetness intensity and viscosity between the two.

Is Collins Orgeat good for making Mai Tais? Yes — orgeat is an essential ingredient in a traditional Mai Tai, and Collins Orgeat provides the almond sweetness and floral complexity the cocktail requires without artificial flavoring.

Where is Collins Orgeat made? Collins is a brand under True Brands, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, United States, where their line of cocktail syrups and bar products is produced.

What foods pair well with Collins Orgeat? As a syrup rather than a standalone beverage, orgeat complements foods when used in drinks or recipes: it pairs naturally with tropical fruit desserts, almond pastries like frangipane tarts, coconut-based dishes, dark chocolate confections, and Middle Eastern or North African sweets where almond is a traditional flavor.

What sizes does Collins Orgeat come in? Collins Orgeat is available in this 375ml bottle as well as a larger 32 oz (946ml) format, allowing buyers to choose based on usage volume.

Is Collins Orgeat worth the price? Collins Orgeat positions as a mid-range cocktail syrup that delivers bartender-quality results at a reasonable price point, particularly appealing for home bartenders who want real sugar and natural flavoring without paying for small-batch artisan pricing.

Why Collins Orgeat?

Orgeat is one of the few cocktail syrups that remains genuinely difficult to replace — no substitute replicates the specific combination of almond richness and floral complexity it brings to tiki and classic cocktails. Collins builds theirs with real sugar and natural almond flavoring, skipping high fructose corn syrup entirely, which results in a cleaner-tasting syrup that integrates smoothly into drinks. The bartender-formulated recipe strikes a practical balance between authenticity and accessibility, making it a reliable shelf staple for anyone serious about building cocktails correctly. For the home bartender who wants a proper Mai Tai without pressing their own almond milk, Collins Orgeat is a straightforward, quality-focused solution.