What is Lion Vanilla Macadamia Nut Coffee?
The flavoured coffee most people bring home from Hawaii, and one Lion calls a customer favourite.
Lion Coffee began in Toledo, Ohio, in 1864 and moved to Hawaii in 1979, and today it belongs to Hawaii Coffee Company in Honolulu. Its flavoured coffees in red bags are sold all over the islands, and Vanilla Macadamia is one of the best known. Lion describes a light roast that pairs the richness of macadamia nuts with the warmth of vanilla, flavoured lightly enough that the coffee still comes through, and finishing silky and gently sweet.
It is sold whole bean or ground in 10 oz and 24 oz bags, and it is on the Hawaii Coffee Company roaster page with Lion's pure Kona and the Royal Kona range.
What is in the bag, and what is not
Read the name carefully: this is Hawaii's favourite flavour, not Hawaii's coffee.
Lion Vanilla Macadamia Nut contains no Kona. The page does not say where the beans come from, only that it is a light roast, so assume they are grown elsewhere and flavoured in Honolulu. That is normal for flavoured coffee, and it is why it costs a fraction of the pure Konas. If you want some Kona in the cup, Royal Kona makes a Vanilla Macadamia 10% Kona Blend, covered below.
Lion also does not publish what the flavouring is made from. Most flavoured coffee is made by coating freshly roasted beans with flavouring oils, natural or artificial, and the label is where to look if that matters to you. There is no sugar in the beans themselves; the sweetness is an impression from the vanilla.
Price, and what a cup costs
Supermarket money for a flavoured coffee from Hawaii.
| Bag | Sold as | Price | Per kilo | Per cup (15 g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 283 g (10 oz) | Whole bean or ground | $13.95 | $49.21 | $0.74 |
| 680 g (24 oz) | Whole bean or ground | $31.95 | $46.96 | $0.70 |
At 15 g a cup that is about 74 cents a cup in the small bag and 70 cents in the big one. The flavoured coffees from Black Rifle Coffee cost $15.99 to $17.99 for 11 to 12 oz, $51 to $58 a kilo, so Lion is a little cheaper than the flavoured range we review from a mainland brand.
Everything ships from Honolulu by UPS or USPS, with rates worked out from the weight of the box, and most orders leave within one or two business days. Free shipping turns up as an occasional promotion to the lower 48 states, not as a standing threshold, so the price at checkout is the price plus postage from Hawaii.
A subscription cuts the price. Hawaii Coffee Company's code SUB20 takes 20% off the first subscription order, then 15% off the second and 20% off every order after that, with delivery every two, four or eight weeks. On 100% Kona the discount is capped at 15%.
Lion Vanilla Macadamia vs Royal Kona Vanilla Macadamia
Same flavour, same company, and one of them has Kona in it.
The Royal Kona Vanilla Macadamia 10% Kona Blend is the same idea with 10% Kona in the bag and 90% coffee from elsewhere, also a light roast. It costs the same $13.95 but for 8 oz rather than 10, and it is sold ground only, in 8 oz and 40 oz bags. In the big bags the two cost almost exactly the same per kilo, about $47.
Under a strong vanilla and macadamia flavour, one tenth Kona is hard to pick out. Choose the Royal Kona if having some Kona matters to you, or if a 40 oz bag of ground coffee suits you. Choose Lion if you grind your own, or want the lower price in small bags.
How to brew it
A drip machine or a French press, and milk if you like.
Flavoured coffee is made for easy brewing. A drip machine at the usual 1:16 gives a mellow, sweet smelling cup, and a French press gives a heavier one; our French press guide covers the method. It takes cream well, and Lion itself suggests black or with a splash of cream. Flavouring oils cling to a grinder, so if you grind other coffees too, clean the burrs afterwards or buy it ground. And if you want a vanilla coffee without buying flavoured beans, our guide to vanilla extract in coffee shows how to add it yourself.
Is it worth it?
Yes, as a cheap and cheerful flavoured coffee. No, as a taste of Kona.
At about 70 cents a cup it is one of the better priced flavoured coffees you can buy online, from a brand that has sold it in Hawaii for decades. Just do not buy it thinking it is Kona coffee with vanilla; it is flavoured coffee from a Hawaii company, and the beans' origin is not stated.
Who should buy it (and who should not)
Buy it if
- You like a sweet smelling, vanilla flavoured coffee for every day.
- You want it whole bean, or a 24 oz bag.
- You drank it on holiday and want the same bag at home.
Skip it if
- You want to know where your coffee is grown.
- You want Kona; see the Royal Kona Private Reserve.
- You avoid flavoured coffee in a shared grinder.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Lion Vanilla Macadamia contain Kona coffee?
No. Lion's Royal Kona sister brand sells a Vanilla Macadamia with 10% Kona in it.
What roast is it?
A light roast, according to Lion.
How much does it cost?
$13.95 for 10 oz and $31.95 for 24 oz, whole bean or ground.
Is there sugar in flavoured coffee?
Flavoured beans are coated with flavouring, not sugar; the sweetness you taste is an impression from the vanilla.
Is there a decaf version?
Yes. Lion sells a Decaf Vanilla Macadamia Nut Coffee, and single-serve pods of the regular one.
