Crown Royal Maple

A $4 pour from the bottle into a tumbler, served neat. It doesn't get more Canadian than Crown Royal with maple syrup! Perhaps hockey is more Canadian. I propose the next Crown Royal should be crafted from laminated hockey stick wood and infused with hockey puck essence. It might surpass this in flavor. They took standard Crown Royal, which is mediocre, and added inexpensive maple syrup. I could barely detect the aroma, fortunately, as the bartender served it in a tumbler. It tastes of maple syrup and butterscotch, with cheap grain alcohol and acetone notes. Faint traces of whiskey, very brief. The finish is excessively sweet. It's undrinkable; however, I consumed it out of national pride. A certain famous hockey player allegedly pours this over his waffles. 0/100.

I acquired this primarily as a curiosity since local stores have largely stopped stocking it. The aroma is a powerful maple blast, hitting you like pure maple syrup. You detect a subtle oak and leather scent in the background, but it's predominantly maple. The taste mirrors this – straight-up MAPLE SYRUP upfront, very sweet with little else following. There's a hint of spice, presumably from the oak. It's not terrible, but its intense sweetness makes it unsuitable for daily consumption; it might serve well as a dessert drink.

A suitable whiskey for newcomers. The maple complements the inherent maple hint in the usual Crown Royal flavor profile. Upon smelling, you immediately get that maple note, and on the palate, it's an enhancement. It helps to mellow a whiskey that typically has a dry finish. This is a pleasant, cold-weather, easily approachable drink.

Someone offered shots at a New Year's gathering. I regret accepting one. It tastes like young rye masked with maple syrup, or like whiskey poured over my French toast! It's excessively artificial and sweet. Perhaps it's better over ice cream? I approached it expecting something like a liqueur, not a whiskey. It's not for me.

This is too sweet for my rating. However, it's likely the most accessible drink for someone new to whiskey on the rocks. The aroma is reminiscent of maple syrup on buttered pancakes, but the artificial maple flavor after a sip is closer to "maple" bacon. For those at Crown Royal paying attention, a maple bacon Crown would be the next ideal blend. Get on it!

Excellent in eggnog. Just be sure to stir it prior to drinking! Quite sweet neat, likely amazing served on ice or chilled. As many have mentioned, it serves as a great mixer for numerous new concoctions, but on its own, you need to be in the right mood. It's great with cola, and I haven't yet tried it with a splash of water... Yes, that's all I have for now...