The best craft rum distillery in America is in the heart of the Chesapeake region, according to USA Today readers. St. Michaels’s own Lyon Rum, produced by micro distillery Windon Distilling Company, ranks number one on the USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Poll for 2020.
Lyon distills “American rum from 100 percent Louisiana sugarcane using traditional pot stills,” according to the 10Best poll results. And rum enthusiasts have quote a range of rums to choose from: Lyon’s White Rum, Dark Rum and barrel-rested Sailors Reserve Rum, plus Curaçao, Coffee Rum, Rock&Ru, and even unusual seasonal offerings like toasted Coconut Rum, Overproof Pineapple Rum and Blackberry Harvest Rum.
Lyon Rum’s distillery is just a couple of blocks from the water, appropriate placement for a spirit that’s long been associated with sailing and maritime culture.
In the Best Craft Rum Distillery ranking, Lyon beat out Muddy River Distillery in Belmont, North Carolina (second) and Wicked Dolphin in Cape Coral, Florida (third), along with distilleries in Arizona, California, and two in Hawaii. The nominees were chosen by a panel of experts and USA Today 10Best’s editors, then the top 10 winners determined by popular vote. Here is the full top 10 list.
-Meg Walburn Viviano
