Blended whisky time again, and today I write about the Crown Royal whisky from Canada.  The year was 1939. Adolf Hitler has been Führer of Germany for five years. The signs of impending war were visible everywhere in Europe.

During this troubling time, the British Monarch King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (Queen Mother) visited Canada and the USA.It was the first visit of a reigning monarch to Canada, and a British monarch set foot in the United States.

This tour marked the first time that the sovereign’s official Canadian birthday was marked with the country’s ruler. The royals arrived in Quebec and travelled west by rail through the country.

They visited most of the major cities and finally arrived in Vancouver. The King and Queen made a brief visit to the United States, visiting Washington, New York, and Poughkeepsie.



In both Canada and the United States, the presence of the King and Queen was calculated to shore up support for Britain in anticipation of hostilities with Nazi Germany.

Created as a tribute to this Royal grand tour to Canada, the Crown Royal is a blended whisky made with over 50 different whiskies. Crown Royal whisky is a blend  of various grains (including corn, rye, wheat and barley).

The whisky is aged in a variety of casks. Crown Royal comes in a purple velvet-like bag, which symbolizes royalty. Owned by Diageo, Crown Royal Deluxe is one of the top-selling Canadian Whiskies in the United States.

Related Article: The Top 5 Blends under R500

Crown Royal Whisky Review


COUNTRY: Canada

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Rich golden amber.

NOSE: Toffee and vanilla sweetness with hints of grains. There are traces of fruit and bits of lemon coming through. When you add water, stone fruit like peaches appears.

PALATE: Creamy caramel fudge and a bit of smoke with oak. There are hints of fruit in the background and pieces of citrus, and more vanilla linger on the palate. This Delux release is not a very spicy whisky. This Crown Royal Deluxe is smooth and well-balanced.

FINISH: The whisky ends in notes of spice and burnt oak with a bit of chocolate. The finish is long and lingering.

RATING: VERY GOOD

The Crown Royal whisky is a medium-bodied whisky with a balanced mouthfeel. It is the perfect whisky to serve at the end of a meal. The Crown Royal Deluxe should pair well with some vanilla flavoured deserts.

I also tasted the award-winning Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye and captured my tasting notes on this dram.

Related Article: Firstwatch Whisky


Jeannette Wentzel

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