Tiger nut milk is a plant milk made from tiger nuts, which aren't nuts at all. They're small tubers that grow underground, a bit like a tiny, wrinkled potato. Blended with water, they make a smooth, lightly sweet milk with a nutty, almost malty flavour. The one on our shelf is Madame Tiger, made in Melbourne, in an Original and a Barista version.
It's the carton with the tiger on the front, and it gets asked about a lot in our milk aisle. Here's what's in it, how the two versions differ, and how to get the most out of a carton.
Madame Tiger Original vs Barista at a glance
| Original | Barista | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Cereal, muesli, smoothies, drinking cold | Coffee, chai, hot chocolate |
| Tiger nuts | 12% | 12% |
| Also in it | Faba bean protein, Australian olive oil, organic demerara sugar, sea salt | Australian olive oil, demerara sugar, faba bean protein, sea salt |
| Added vitamins | B2, B5, B12 and D | B2, B5, B12 and D |
| Added minerals | Potassium, calcium, phosphorus | Potassium, calcium, phosphorus |
| Dairy or soy in the ingredients? | No | No |
| Size | 1 litre carton | 1 litre carton |
| Shop | Original | Barista |
What is a tiger nut?
Despite the name, a tiger nut is the small tuber of a sedge plant, Cyperus esculentus. The stripes on its skin are where the "tiger" comes from. People have been eating them for thousands of years, and in Valencia, Spain, they're the base of horchata de chufa, a chilled tiger nut drink sold in cafés all summer.
Because they're tubers, tiger nuts aren't tree nuts or peanuts. If you're managing a food allergy, though, go by the allergen statement on the carton and talk to your doctor first. Whether a product is safe for you depends on how and where it's made, not just what it's made from.
What's in a carton of Madame Tiger
Here's the Original's ingredient list as it appears on our listing: filtered water, organic tiger nuts (12%), faba bean protein, Australian olive oil, organic demerara sugar, minerals (potassium, calcium, phosphorus), sea salt and vitamins B5, B2, D and B12. A few things stand out:
- The protein comes from faba beans. Faba bean protein goes in alongside the tiger nuts, so the milk isn't just tiger nuts and water.
- The oil is olive oil. It's Australian olive oil, where a lot of plant milks use sunflower or canola oil.
- It's lightly sweetened. Both versions have demerara sugar in them (organic in the Original). If you want something unsweetened, PlantCo's cashew milk further down is just cashews and water.
- It has added vitamins and minerals. Calcium plus vitamins B2, B5, B12 and D are added to both.
The carton is marked vegan friendly and sustainably sourced. Madame Tiger says its tiger nuts are grown by a women-led farming collective in Burkina Faso, in West Africa.
Original or Barista: which one should you buy?
Original is the everyday one. Pour it on muesli, blend it into a smoothie or drink it cold. The nutty sweetness goes well with banana, cinnamon and cacao.
Barista is made to be steamed. Use it in a flat white, latte or chai, where you want the milk to froth and hold together in hot coffee.
If you're only buying one, go by how you mostly drink it. Mostly coffee, get the Barista. Mostly cereal and smoothies, get the Original.
Five ways to use tiger nut milk
- Overnight oats. Cover rolled oats with Original, stir through grated apple and cinnamon, and leave it in the fridge overnight.
- A breakfast smoothie. Blend Original with a banana and a handful of frozen berries.
- Flat white or latte. Heat Barista until it's steaming but not boiling, then froth it.
- Chai. Brew your chai or spices in water first, then add Barista for the last minute so it warms through without boiling.
- A horchata-style iced drink. Pour cold Original over ice with a pinch of cinnamon and a drop of vanilla, a nod to the Spanish original.
Storing it
Store unopened cartons the way the pack says. Once a carton is open, keep it in the fridge and use it within the time printed on it. Give it a shake before you pour, as plant milks can settle.
How it compares with the other plant milks on our shelf
| Milk | What it's made from | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Madame Tiger Original and Barista | Tiger nuts, faba bean protein, Australian olive oil | Lightly sweetened, with added vitamins and minerals. Made in Melbourne |
| PlantCo Cashew Milk | Water and organic cashews | Two ingredients, no added sugar |
| PlantCo Cashew + Brazil Nut Milk | Organic cashews, Brazil nuts and water | Three ingredients, no added sugar |
| Bonsoy Soy Milk | Organic whole soybeans, with tapioca syrup and Job's tears | Made in Japan |
| Bonsoy Almond Milk | Roasted almond paste | Made in Japan |
There's more in our plant-based milk range.
Questions people ask
Is tiger nut milk dairy-free?
Madame Tiger is a plant milk with no dairy ingredients, and the carton is marked vegan friendly.
Is tiger nut milk nut-free?
Tiger nuts are tubers, not tree nuts or peanuts. If you have an allergy, check the allergen statement on the carton and speak to your doctor before trying it.
What does tiger nut milk taste like?
Mild, creamy and a little sweet, with a nutty, malty note. If you've had horchata, it's in that family.
Can you froth tiger nut milk for coffee?
Yes. Use the Barista version, which is made for steaming and frothing.
Where can I buy tiger nut milk in Sydney?
Both Madame Tiger cartons are on our shelves and online, with delivery from our Leichhardt store.
Where to buy
Both cartons can be delivered from our Leichhardt store in our refrigerated van, Monday to Saturday, with no minimum order. See our delivery page for how it works. In store, call (02) 9564 1679 to check your shop has the one you want.
Madame Tiger also stars in Episode 2 of Stocked Up, our short video series about what's on our shelves. Catch it on Instagram at @uniquewholefood.
Written by the Unique Wholefood team. Updated October 2026.
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This article is general information only and isn't medical, dietary or nutritional advice. If you have a health condition, an allergy or intolerance, or you're making a big change to how you eat, please talk to your doctor or an Accredited Practising Dietitian first. Product details, ingredients, allergens, prices and stock are taken from the makers and our listings at the time of writing and can change, so always check the label before you buy. All our fresh fruit and veg is certified organic and Australian-grown; other products are certified organic only where the label says so. Delivery areas, prices and times can change, and the current terms are on our Shipping, Delivery & Returns page.