Crown Royal Reserve

Aroma: mild to moderate sweetness, some rye notes, fruity/apples, faint oak Taste: moderate body, a little slick, minor oak on the back end, astringent, grainy, mild to moderate spice, perhaps some mild char notes, a little brown sugar but less sweetness compared to regular Crown. Overall, I was expecting better from this whiskey. But it has some astringency to it, mild odd notes with some decent notes; it lacked complexity, boldness, and flavor in some areas. I could have gotten a bad bottle by chance, and this one is hard to find. So I'm not sure if I will revisit. Overall, it was high average at best from my sample. Grade: C/C+

I am not a fan of Canadian whiskies, and I have only had a handful of them, so I am not a reliable source of knowledge in this field. As for Canadian Club and the other two Crown Royals I have had (Black and "normal"). On the nose, it is quite dim and not very engaging. Honey, rye sweetness, and some herbal notes. On the palate, it is easy to drink, with honey and peanut butter notes. The aftertaste is simple with some tobacco notes and some spiciness, ginger and clove. Overall, my score for this dram is 76 out of 100. It's not my preference, but there is nothing off-putting about it.

This is the second bottle from a gift set. The nose is quite faint, with only a little apple and pear. The palate is very smooth and tastes so strongly of grape that it resembles cognac more than whisky. After a few seconds, traditional flavors of caramel, vanilla, and corn appear, but they are short-lived and not very prominent. The finish is brief, slightly drying, smooth, and pleasant. It's certainly not a bad drink, but it's not particularly challenging or complex either. It's light, fresh, and easy to drink, making it potentially ideal for someone new to whisky.

Crown Royal is always a safe bet, an easy go-to. The Reserve steps it up just another slight notch. Nose: Honey, toffee, syrup, almonds, malty, and slight peaches Palate: Honey, nuts, toffee, malty, apple, peaches Finish: Malty, toffee, honey, light fruits, and slight apple This is a beautiful dram on the nose. Very sweet aromas mix beautifully together with the fruity notes. However, the fruity notes are very light, almost drowned out by the sweetness, even on the palate. The finish is light and short, almost watered down, yet still delicious for a quick bite.

I'd rate this a 3.5, but I'm feeling charitable. This is a clear step up from the regular Crown Royal bottling; the additional aging provides not only a smoother character but also a richer taste. You wouldn't know it from the aroma, however, which is practically absent. Thankfully, the taste delivers brown sugar and spice, along with that distinct grain essence I seem to only encounter in Canadian spirits... it must be from combining various 100% grain whiskies. I'm not sure I'd spend the approximately $45 retail price, but it's enjoyable enough.

The aroma is rich with peaches, vanilla, grapes, and oak. The palate is very sweet, featuring flavors of apple juice, spicy oak, caramel, and cinnamon. The finish is long and very mellow with some subdued spices. The whiskey is certainly enjoyable, but not remarkable. I recall this bottle costing around $35-$40 when I purchased it several years ago, but the price now seems to have climbed into the $50 range. At that price point, in my opinion, you can find much better whiskeys.