Crown Royal Extra Rare 18 year old (40%)

First off, let me admit that I have never been a huge fan of the flagship brand from Crown Royal, what the Diageo-owned distillery calls Crown Royal Fine De Luxe and the rest of Canada simply knows as ‘Crown.’ Not that I believe there is anything wrong with it – Crown is a wonderfully blended Canadian whisky that is admirably consistent considering the volumes that are sold of the stuff – but it has never properly resonated with my palate.

That said, I have tried numerous other expressions of Crown Royal which I have found to be quite enjoyable, from the charred oak influenced Crown Royal Black to the cognac barrel-finished XO. And this, the Extra Rare 18 year old.  

Fans of Fine De Luxe will immediately recognize this as cut from the same cloth, since the blend is the same as that of the entry level whisky. The difference, of course, is in the age of the component whiskies, and in this case that makes ALL the difference.  

On the nose, the 18 year old offers a melange of fruit from canned peaches to tangerines to fresh apricot, but with a dryness that belies the fruitiness and a soft cooked vanilla oakiness. All of this is complemented by a soft spiciness – pepper, caraway, an a touch of allspice – that takes the edge off the fruity character and provides appetizing attraction.

The sweet body offers considerable caramel and stone fruit up front, while the mid-palate adds peppery spice, dry vanilla, baked apple and pear, a touch of cheery, and a background oakiness that ties it all together. Overall, there is a depth and sippability to this that should delight regular Crown drinkers and perhaps even make converts of the sceptics.

Yes, this is a pricy bottle of whisky by Canadian standards. But it is a spirit with the attraction and complexity of any whisky found in the world, so is an absolute bargain when compared to 18 year old whiskies from Japan, Ireland, the US, and especially Scotland. As noted, I am no huge fan of Crown Royal in general, especially since their pivot to flavoured whiskies, but even I have to say that this is an exemplary example of a wonderfully balanced, mature, and decidedly delicious Canadian whisky.

92 ($188 - $225)