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Lyre's Orange Sec
About Lyre's Orange Sec
Lyre’s Orange Sec is produced by Lyre’s Spirit Co – a UK based non-alcoholic spirits company. Founded in 2019, Lyre’s produces a wide variety of non-alcoholic spirits including whiskey, gin, tequila, rum, vermouth, absinthe, sparkling wine, liqueurs, and more.
As a brand, they aim to create “true to taste” products that are as close as possible to the flavor of real spirits for substitution in cocktails. Inspiration for their name and logo comes from they Lyrebird, an Australian bird known for its mimicry. Lyre’s takes pride in the fact that they have four different manufacturing locations, which shortens supply chains and makes distribution more environmentally friendly.
Their products are made using natural extracts, essences, and distillates for flavoring, as well as water, sugar, and the necessary preservatives. This particular bottle of Orange Sec is a non-alcoholic version of triple sec, a type of orange liqueur. It is advertised as vegan, dairy free, nut free, egg free, and gluten free.
Bottle Specs
❖ ABV: <0.5%
❖ Distillery: Lyre’s Spirit Co (Melbourne, Australia facility)
*origin of your bottle may vary, as they have several facilities
❖ Aging: N/A
❖ Price Point: moderate price
Tasting Notes
Nose:
❖ sweet orange
❖ bitter orange
❖ jaffa
❖ mint
Palate:
❖ orange
❖ aromatics
My Tasting notes
I need to preface this section by saying that Lyre’s would really really hate that I’m tasting this stuff straight. They ask people not to right on the website. But still, I find it fascinating to compare the taste of non-alcoholic spirits on their own, for no other reason than curiosity. I don’t recommend drinking it this way for fun or enjoyment.
The aroma of the orange sec was bright, fresh, and airy. The orange notes were remarkably similar to a regular triple sec.
I took a sip, and the flavor was actually very sweet and smooth. I couldn’t detect any sort of artificial aftertaste. The orange flavor tasted natural, and felt just like a real triple sec.
Mocktail
For my mocktail, I was inspired by one of my favorite drinks that features triple sec – the Cointreau Fizz. I thought it would be great to make a non-alcoholic version of the drink, since it’s rare to find a recipe where orange liqueur isn’t simply a mixer. That way, I could really put Lyre’s to the test! I call my alcohol-free version the “Virgin Lime Fizz”.
Virgin Lime Fizz
Ingredients
- 2oz non-alcoholic orange liqueur
- 1oz lime juice
- 3oz soda water
- garnish: lime or orange twist
Instructions
- Combine the non-alcoholic orange liqueur and lime juice together in a glass.
- Top the mixture with soda water, and stir.
- garnish if desired.
One sip into my mocktail, I was immediately impressed. This fizz was very refreshing to drink! Although the lime flavor was prominent, the orange notes added a nice complexity. The drink was overall well balanced.
Bottom Line
RATING: 5/5
Overall, I was pretty blown away by Lyre’s Orange Sec. I feel that it makes a good substitute for triple sec in mocktails, and has ample flavor that is not watery. This is the first non-alcoholic spirit I’ve tried so far that does not require recipe adjustments. It balances out the tartness of the lime juice well, and tastes great!
I would recommend this bottle to anyone looking to take their non-alcoholic margaritas (and really any drink with orange liqueur) to the next level. It’s simple in concept, but does it’s job well! This orange sec earns an easy 5 stars.
As always, drink responsibly.
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