Crown Royal Deluxe

A delicate, sweet aroma with fruity undertones and floral high notes, plus a touch of alcohol, green apple, unripe peach, and even some Concord grape. Underlying notes feature soft vanilla candy, caramel chews, and a hint of oaky spice. Initially sweet and mild on the palate, showing thin caramel, stone fruit with vanilla cream, and a splash of citrus. Then, spice emerges, first as cinnamon, followed by zesty rye with a touch of red pepper heat, before subsiding quite rapidly. It has a light to medium body, with an intriguing texture that shifts from nearly watery to decidedly velvety as it sits in the glass. The legs are fairly swift but appealing, resembling beads of melting wax trickling down a candle. The finish is brief in its intensity, mildly spiced, with sweet vanillin, a hint of banana, maple, a touch of lingering cinnamon warmth, and just a trace of nutty oak. A delightful drink, though somewhat diluted. One could imagine that a higher proof might introduce harsh acetone from the alcohol. It's a sweet delight best savored neat. Nose: 8 Taste: 8 Body: 8 Finish: 8

This well-known Canadian whisky was a staple during my university years, and I'm revisiting it now just to complete a record. My expectations are not high, but one never knows. Nose: Abundant vanilla. Some toffee, caramel, and butterscotch. Mild rye spice, white pepper, clove, and nutmeg. Palate: Tastes like apple juice. Vanilla, caramel, butterscotch, and toffee. Citrus and tobacco smoke. Overly sweet dried apricot. Cocoa. Some malty, grainy, slightly metallic notes. Rye spice, black pepper, clove, and nutmeg. Finish: Candy corn, excessively ripe dried apricot, and apple juice. Vanilla, caramel, toffee, butterscotch. Black pepper, rye spice, clove, nutmeg. Very short. Well, you can't always succeed. I didn't anticipate much from this, and thankfully, it didn't meet even low expectations. It's likely acceptable as a mixer. However, I consume all these spirits neat. I regarded this as sophisticated during my college days. The presentation is impeccable. The whisky, however, is lacking. Rated 1.5/5. Task completed.

The color is dark brown/caramel with very viscous legs. The nose offers earthy cloves, an unusual and somewhat welcome development. Sugary corn syrup is present, as expected. Oak is very subtle. A touch of spicy cinnamon is detected. It's sweeter than most, yet the aroma has enough balance to prevent it from being overly sweet. The palate combines sugary syrup with that cinnamon and clove, providing necessary balance. Candied orange is noted. Mid-palate brings salt and white pepper. It's sweet, making it understandable why it pairs well with cola. The finish is light and brief. It carries more salt and spice than anticipated. There's an almond liqueur quality. Spicy ribbon candy and a cherry cough drop are also present. This spirit is designed for mixing with cola or ginger ale. While sweet, it possesses a surprisingly spicy counterpoint that keeps it from being too cloying. A very dependable staple for your collection.

A rating of 3.75 signifies a whiskey I enjoyed but couldn't highly recommend. It's surprising that after years focused on scotch, I'm trying Canadian whisky for the first time. My previous narrow-mindedness is amusing. This expression isn't complex or challenging. While I've tried to avoid the cliché word "smooth," it genuinely is velvety. The nose presents tart green apples and salted caramel. On the palate, it mirrors this with caramel apple and a subtle woody bitterness. It tastes slightly watered down. The medium-short finish introduces lemon and cane sugar. Overall, it's pleasant, and I'd have it again.

Appearance: bright amber hue with fleeting, wispy legs. Smell: Immediate caramel notes with a softer maple undertone. Vanilla and cola scents emerge at the end of the aroma. Curiously strong alcohol vapors for a 40% ABV spirit, along with a nondescript "spice." Taste: It's "sweet," I suppose. Light body and a very brief aftertaste. Significant warming alcohol presence and a harsh ethanol finish. It possesses the signature artificial Crown Royal diacetyl-caramel taste. Smell (diluted): The addition of water amplifies the "cola" aroma and introduces some vague fruity notes. Taste (diluted): The finish is less aggressive, and more caramel sweetness is apparent. Not much else develops. What more can be said? It's Crown Royal; it's meant for mixing. Lean into those cola characteristics and combine it with some!

I sampled this blended Canadian whisky without an age statement at 40% ABV in the evening. It has undergone chill-filtration and contains artificial coloring. This is the spirit that initiated my journey, during the era of Crown and Cola in my youth. On its own, it exhibits a distinct artificial caramel note, reminiscent of cheap caramel candies, complete with melted plastic undertones. It possesses just enough alcohol sharpness to awaken the senses. The palate is pleasant, featuring apple, caramel, vanilla ice cream, and some cereal and grain notes. The finish is almost nonexistent. For a whisky purported to be a blend of 50 others, it is disappointingly straightforward. This simplicity might be its strength as a mixer, but consumed alone, it fails to satisfy.