When we reviewed the core lineup of Lyon Rums last month, we mentioned that the distillery also dabbles in liqueurs and other unique rum-based products. Well, we’ve got three of these side projects on tap today for review: Coffee Rum, Rock & Rum, and their house-made Orange Curacao. Thoughts follow.

Lyon Coffee Rum – Lyon Coffee Rum is made from Lyon’s base rum that is blended with a locally roasted coffee. On the nose, I get a sweet, confectionary note that shows quite a lot of dark chocolate, straddling the line between hot cocoa mix and instant coffee. It’s a touch smoky, with a creamy vanilla note that completely overwhelms the tropical, earthy qualities in the base spirit. The palate is exceedingly sweet with brash notes of mocha and chicory that never really let up. The finish is a bit lip puckering, with lingering, sour notes of day-old java. 72 proof. B- / $40

Lyon Rock & Rum – According to founder and CEO Jaime Windon, the inspiration behind Rock & Rum was a rum Old Fashioned. It’s a twist on the traditional Rock & Rye that sees their white rum infused with orange botanicals, blended with a candied-orange caramel, and finished with dark cherries. The aroma is almost entirely orange candies, exactly like the suckers you’d get as a child from bank tellers and doctors. On the palate, orange cordial, butterscotch, and curacao-soaked rum cake barrage the senses with an overbearing sweetness. Still, I’m able to also make out the dark cherry and some of the ripe tropical fruits in the base spirit before the tart finish arrives. I’d advise a splash of soda, or more, to calm things down. 84 proof. B / $40

Lyon Curacao Orange Liqueur – For this liqueur, Lyon again relies on their white rum as a base and then adds to the mix bitter and sweet orange, sugar, clove, cardamom, and other spices. The aroma is a gentle mix of baking spice and citrus, far more complex and balanced than the other liqueurs in their lineup. On the palate, the citrus fluctuates from candied to oily to fresh-squeezed without any excessive sweet or sour, accented with just the right amount of spice box. It finishes clean with a bit of lingering tartness. A nice tropical cocktail companion. 80 proof. A- / $35

lyonrum.com

Lyon Curacao Orange Liqueur

$35

9

Rating

9.0/10

About Post Author

Drew Beard

Drew Beard is Assistant Editor and Social Media Manager for Drinkhacker. He has studied and written about beer, whisk(e)y, and other spirits since he first started drinking them, earning several booze-related merit badges along the way, including Certified Specialist in Spirits and Executive Bourbon Steward. A recovering Federal government employee, he is happy to have finally found a career where it is acceptable to drink on the job.

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