Crown Royal XR

I own every available version of Crown Royal that I'm aware of. While I still haven't sampled any of the Noble editions or the Crown Royal XR Red from the Waterloo collection, I just opened my spare bottle of XR Blue. I'm not a seasoned whiskey expert, so I'll describe it from a regular person's perspective. The initial taste was very smooth with hints of vanilla. Quite pleasant. About 2 minutes later, my second sip was spicier with a bit more burn as I swallowed it, more akin to regular Crown Royal deluxe. But it was the third sip and subsequent ones that were truly the best. Very smooth, no spicy burn, just a wonderfully smooth taste throughout. I wouldn't add water or ice since it's very smooth and easy to drink. I'm not going to attempt to describe any flavors or aromas; I'm certainly not experienced enough for that. I will say I've had Glendronach 15yr Revival and 18yr Scotch, and those are superior in my opinion. However, if you can acquire this for around $100-$120, and you enjoy Regular Crown Royal, you likely won't be let down. I prefer the Cask 16 and Monarch slightly more, but this is still an excellent Canadian Whiskey. I'm eager to open my Red Bottle of XR!

Price: $130 - Location: Michigan. This bottle has a red label and includes whiskey from the closed Waterloo Distillery, unlike the blue label from LaSalle Distillery. Nose (Neat): Sweet and Spicy. Notes of vanilla caramel, toasted almond, and a slightly floral aroma. Palate (Neat): The spice of the rye with light caramel undertones. It's exceptionally smooth with virtually no heat or burn. The finish has a slightly bitter butterscotch note. It's great for sipping and I don't recommend it on the rocks or with water added because it's very delicate. Very good, but there are superior Canadian blends available for less money (like Crown Royal Cask 16 if staying within the Crown Royal line).

This review is for the original XR red. Very smooth, sweet rye with gentle spice, light vanilla sweetness. Production ended some time ago. I think I paid approximately $170 for it at a duty-free shop about 12 years back. I grew up near Waterloo and this was the first good quality bottle of spirits I purchased, partly because it contained some of the Seagrams Waterloo Crown. My perspective on it has shifted over the years, but having just finished the final glass, I feel that if it were still available, I would buy it again. It was a great Canadian Whisky with a history to share.

Nose - smells like maple syrup, buttered biscuit, butterscotch, and a bit of fresh apple Taste - begins with light sweet maple, then becomes a richer caramel Finish - a little spice appears, mostly a long sweet finish with a hint of dryness at the end

The aroma has a spicy edge and is dominated by brown sugar. The texture is incredibly smooth and silky, with cardamom as the primary taste, complemented by notes of maple and brown sugar. The conclusion is brief and straightforward.

Remarkably smooth. I strongly suggest getting one if you can afford it. I enjoyed the bottle on my 19th birthday with my father and two brothers. Reserve it for a special occasion