Triple Crowns - is one Royal?

[Mike]

I fell for the hype and allowed my curiosity to override my good sense.......I purchased the Crown Royal XR (for extra rare) at $150 minus a small discount. I compared it against the other Crown Royals, the Special Reserve, and the regular Crown Royal.

CROWN ROYAL

Nose: Mild oak, vanilla, some citrus, leather, and rye notes that are pleasant and unassuming.....it is not bourbon!

Taste: Of a piece with the nose.......mild oak, vanilla sweetness, citrus, a touch of rye spice.........again unassuming and.....not bourbon!

Finish: As you would expect from the nose and the taste..........a mild finish that is fairly short but like CR, not bad. I know some CR drinkers and I can understand its appeal, but it will never be my preferred whiskey.

Comments: Not a bad whiskey by any means.......smooth and drinkable, but better is easily found.

CROWN ROYAL SPECIAL RESERVE

Nose: Oak, vanilla, orange, brown sugar, rye, and clover in respectable quantities..........this is more like it!

Taste: Richer, spicier, definitely more viscous than his younger brother, he has become a teenager and thinks he is better than he is.... can't play in the Big Leagues yet, but he has potential. My opinion is that the CR lovers 'should' like CRSR better, but who knows? It is a better whiskey!

Finish: A nice thick finish that is moderately long and quite satisfactory.

Comment: A definite step up from the regular CR......it is richer, more complex, long lasting and quite good..........next year, a rookie in the Majors!

CROWN ROYAL XR (EXTRA RARE)

Nose: Subtle, with vanilla, leather, apricots, flowers, rye spice, dry oak, orange, and toasted marshmellows. Reminds me of Hirsch 16 YO in its maturity and sublety. Not AllStar, but no rookie!

Taste: Viscous sweetness, followed by a spice complement that maintains a delicacy that is impressive. What distinguishes a 'great' spirit from a good or exceptional spirit? I have my own ideas, and one of them is delicacy and subtleness.

In my pantheon, Pappy 20 has it, some Cognacs (Pierre Ferrand Selection de Anges) have it, some Scotchs have it (McCallen Fine Oak 15 YO, and in its peculiar way Laguvulin 16 YO, and Highland Park Scotchs), that 'something special' that crosses the boundaries and lives in a 'spirit world'. These, by my lights, are the world's great spirits. Who the hell am I to hold forth like this, you say.............well, shit, say I, why not?

I think CRXR reached for the stars and made it. I report to you that it lives in that nether world of the 'great spirits'. It is very, very, smooth ('proof' is a non-starter in this world), it has a great balance between the sweetness, the dry oak, and the spice.........I have found that a short sip followed quickly by another sip gives it its due.

The question is bound to come up............'Is it worth it?'...........And, the answer is, 'I dont'know!" I suspect that for most people the resounding answer is 'NO'..........and all evidence agrees with this answer.

It is only a handfull of idiots such as myself who will contend that this spirt is 'special' and we will be justifiably laughed from the scene. BE brothers and sisters, my own 'spirit' is content with things as they are!

How, and why, should I ever defend my own tastes..............ah, me friends, there is where our beloved BE, and our reviews, play out their little game!! Now, tell me you don't love it..........for I surely do!!!

[Joeluka]

Nice review Mike. I was wondering if I could send you a sample of the CR from 1964 I have, so you could see how that compares to the others. My bottle says 1954 and Gary said that date refers to the youngest whiskey in the bottle. I have tried this with the current and they dont compare. Let me know what you think.

[gillmang]

Wow great review, thanks Mike! It sounds like the CR XR is really different than the other two and reaches a level of quality the others don't. It would be fascinating to know where the '54 CR (i.e., whisky distilled in '54 and some back to '34 since 30 year old whisky was incorporated in CR at the time) would fit in Mike's schema.

Mike, does the literature or labels give any information on what is in the XR?

Gary

[Mike]

Nice review Mike. I was wondering if I could send you a sample of the CR from 1964 I have, so you could see how that compares to the others. My bottle says 1954 and Gary said that date refers to the youngest whiskey in the bottle. I have tried this with the current and they dont compare. Let me know what you think.

Sure, Joe. In return, I will send you a sample of CR XR and you can compare for yo own self!

[Mike]

Wow great review, thanks Mike! It sounds like the CR XR is really different than the other two and reaches a level of quality the others don't. It would be fascinating to know where the '54 CR (i.e., whisky distilled in '54 and some back to '34 since 30 year old whisky was incorporated in CR at the time) would fit in Mike's schema.

Mike, does the literature or labels give any information on what is in the XR?

Gary

CR XR comes in fancy bottle incased in a big red box with a blurb on the side, with just the information that the blend contains the last batch of extra rare whiskies from the Waterloo Distillery.........nothing very revealing.

P.S. I had to go back for another sip today..........the damn bottle has been calling my name. I absolutely stand by my assessment.........in my judgement it is very exceptional whiskey. It is quite 'Cognac like' in its floral sweetness, so those people who don't care for Cognac may not care for it. For myself, I love Cognac!!

[bourbonv]

Thanks to Mike and Barleycorn recieved a sample bottle of the Crown Royal XR in today's mail (did you put his picture on the label?). Here are myb tasting notes for the Crown Royal XR:

Nose: Very sweet and fruity - plums and berries, with caramel / vanilla and a hint of wood. There is some nice old leather and tobacco that comes out as it breathes.

Taste: Sweet with caramel and fruit - plums and apricots, with some caramel and pepper spice. Very little alcohol burn makes it a very easy drink.

Finish: This is where you can really tell that it is a Canadian whiskey. It has some wood tannins, but also that new whiskey / cleaning fluid taste that comes through in the finish. It is not strong but it is there.

Notes: Not a bad taste of whiskey but probably a bit pricey. It would make an excellent cocktail and is only decent straight.

[gillmang]

Thanks Mike, hopefully we can connect in B'town and I can try it. I'll bring some regular CR for the comparison.

Maybe on Saturday before the auction..?

Gary

[bourbonv]

Gary,
I am hoping you are going to put in an appearance at the party at Pen Bogert's house on Saturday night. I will be disappointed if you don't and Brenda is depending upon you to try her Burgoo. I will have the sample there. I am going to help at the auction again this year and I am making bourbon baked beans and some vegetable soup for the party, so I may not get to Bardstown much before the auction. I am parking at Pen's house and walking to the museum.

[gillmang]

Mike I intended to go but I can't now, I think, and that is simply because that party starts at 5:30 p.m. At that time I have to start getting ready for the Gala which as you know involves tux and so forth. I am a Gala person and my group lines up for that I think starting at 6:30 p.m. if not earlier (I need to check start time, I don't have my ticket yet, they always come in the last week). So we have to get ready, get our lift and out to Jideco and in the past we have always started at 5:30 p.m. if not before. I am sorry because I wanted to try that burgoo too!. I thought it was an afternoon party but now it doesn't appear so. Any time earlier would be better although I'll still try my best.. I'd hate to pop in for 5 minutes and leave, that wouldn't be good. What about breakfast Saturday morn and a digestif after at the GN?

Gary

[bourbonv]

Gary,
I am sure it will still be going after the Gala. Stop by afterwards for a while. I hope some of the other Gala people will do the same. I know many are going to the gazebo after the Gala, but as far as I know there is no law against doing both.

I am going to be doing some cooking on Saterday morning and probably won't get to Bardstown before 1:00 and then will head straight to the Getz Museum for the auction.

[gillmang]

Okay I'll try to come after, thanks again Mike for the invite, much appreciated.

Gary

[gillmang]

Okay I bought it (it was just released here).

I give it plaudits for packaging.

The stopper "cork" uses artificial cork, which I think is a mistake for a luxury item such as this, and also, the fit in my bottle was too tight and when I tried to extract the stopper some of the expensive liquid ($175 (CAN)) went to the angels (and on my shirt). Oh well.

The taste: very good. It is very "Crown Royal", just richer and better than any of the other iterations.

Gary

[Mike]

Okay I bought it (it was just released here).

The taste: very good. It is very "Crown Royal", just richer and better than any of the other iterations.

Gary

Gary, I think your assessment is similiar to mine vis a vis other CR products.

Joeluka sent me the 1964 vintage of CR and it was sweeter than the XR but not as rich.

I still think it is an exceptional and delicate whiskey, and, as I hinted previously, maybe closer to cognac than to bourbon. I am not sorry I bought it, but am not going to go the freight for another bottle.

The 20% or so remaining in my bottle will await the time when its cries as I open my liquor box (yeah, most of my 'stuff' is in cardboard boxes) drown out the cries of all the other whiskies as they yell, 'try me, try me'!

[gillmang]

Thanks, Mike, and I share your views in fact. It is a brandy-like expression of Crown Royal. I agree that versions from the 60's and earlier (some of which I've tasted too) were sweeter: I am not sure why that was (caramel added to the bottle, possibly?). As far as I am concerned, it is worth what I paid and a valued addition to the CR range in my bar.

Gary

N.B. My solution to the cork problem: insert the stopper in only lightly, say 1/4 inch in or so. Not aesthetic but (for those interested in the contents and their conservation beyond the measure intended for consumption) it works.

[Mike]

Good for you Gary!

BTW, when I sent along the CRXR to Mike Veach, I also sent two 50 ml bottles of Pierre Ferrand Selection des Anges cognac (a favorite of mine), and a 200 ml bottle of Blue Label JW and a 200 ml bottle of Gold Label JW.

Since you weren't able to connect with Mike in KY, I presume he is holding on to some of that cognac and the scotches for you to taste at some time.