Lyon Rum, an American Handcrafted Spirit

Lyon Rum is an American spirit produced by Windon Distilling in Saint Michaels, Maryland, a company that since 2012 has been working to redefine the category of American rum.

This is a flavored hand-crafted rum with a strong character derived from an innovative recipe of raw sugar cane (100% Louisiana) and blackstrap molasses. During the production process, these are hand-mashed, fermented, and finally double-distilled in Copper pot stills. The local conditions like humidity and temperature fluctuations cause flavor variations that are intensified during distillation, lending a unique flavor profile.

In 2020, Lyon Rum ranked number one on the USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice Poll, becoming the “Best Craft Rum Distillery” of the year. The Lyon portfolio offers thirteen unique expressions that include light, seasonal, and aged spirits. Among them, we can highlight the dark rum and the coffee rum. Let’s take a look at them.

Lyon Dark Rum

Lyon Dark Rum, a version of the same base used in Lyon White Rum, is the most popular spirit of the brand. It consists of an unaged expression that begins as a mixture of molasses and evaporated sugar cane juice. After a double distillation in Kentucky Pot Stills, it is colored and flavored with a batch of spirit caramel. Then, it is bottled at 45% ABV (90 proof).

This rich and complex rum holds a dark amber color with a sweet and smoky flavor, ideal to mix in classic cocktails and punches or on the rocks.

Tasting notes

• Nose: Notes of caramel, molasses, raisin, and herbaceous grass, with a touch of yeast.
• Palate: Brown butter and sweet-burnt caramel entry with an intense butterscotch note.
• Finish: It has complex notes of burnt sugar, molasses, and baking spices.

On Rum Ratings, the largest online rum community in the world, Lyon Dark rum obtained 6.7/10 points and 6 ratings, so far. Some of the consumers’ comments are:

Paul B from the United States highlighted that “…This rum is like no other that I have tried (…). There is very little burn on it and the aroma and taste of the Agricole portion come through for me. I know of no other rum that tastes like this one. This team had the goal of creating a very unique rum and they have easily exceeded that. (…) This rum is best served on the rocks or with ginger ale.”

Moreover, Falcon91Wolvrn03 also from the United States said, “… It is a lot better than I expected… Nicely sweet at 45% ABV. Smells and tastes of maple, sweet molasses, smoke, spice, and oak. Very well done!”

Alas from Puerto Rico pointed out that, “Toffee notes on nose, really great smell, leans towards Agricole taste and finish. If you like Agricoles you’ll love this one, it’s like Clement made a caramel expression.”

Finally, Robert from the United States wrote, “Slightly better than the clear but very similar. Slight burn with caramel and grassy notes.”

Lyon Coffee Rum

Lyon Coffee Rum is made from Lyon’s base rum that is infused by hand with two organic ingredients: locally roasted coffee from Rise Up Coffee Roasters and artisanal cacao shells from Chocotenango. The result is a deep and smooth liqueur with the distinct flavor of freshly made coffee, bottled at 36% ABV (72 proof). Ideal for dessert cocktails or served over ice for slight dilution.

Tasting notes

• Nose: Notes of vanilla, dark chocolate, and coffee.
• Palate: Bittersweet chocolate with brash notes of mocha and chicory.
• Finish: Rich chocolate and creamy coffee notes.

Lyon Coffee Rum has delighted coffee and chocolate lovers. On the Rum Ratings, it obtained 6.4 points out of 10, and 5 ratings:

Firstly, Jimmy Cliff from the United States said that “On the nose, dark rich pure coffee scent. 72 proof and clearly labeled Coffee Rum liquor, exactly what it is, and appreciate the honesty and clarity. Regarding the actual rum, I would not hesitate to order this for an after-dinner cordial. Much more complicated and complex than tequila. This distillery has got some good things going on.”

Hanreb1 also from the United States stated, “This is an excellent take on a coffee liqueur. It is rich, full of coffee flavor, and just the right amount of sweetness. I really enjoyed this rum.” Likewise, Alas from Puerto Rico said that “Caffeine kick that wakes you up, quite smooth, the nose is more tootsie roll and chocolate.”

Falcon91Wolvrn03 from the United States, “…I found this to be a bit bitter for me. Sure, it tastes a lot like coffee (….). If you’re ok with a slightly bitter coffee drink, that does taste a lot like coffee, then you should like this more than I do…”

Rum Ratings has reunited many rum lovers and enthusiasts, spreading the joy of rum culture. Today it counts with nearly 100,000 users who contribute to rum reviews across 6,800 rums from 67 countries. We invite you to explore the website and join this exciting community to discover new spirits.

You can also visit the Global Rum Tasting Club and receive tasting kits featuring unique rums based on your preferences. Members will also have access to Zavvy.co and enjoy educational Live Streams as well as a virtual tasting with experts from the rum industry.

Featured image by Lyon Rum // Windon Distilling