Crown Royal Announces Upgrade to One of Its Mainstay Whiskies

Crown Royal is one of the most popular Canadian whiskies in the U.S. due to its affordability and approachable, accessible palate, something we’ve covered before in great detail. But that hasn’t stopped the brand, which is produced at a distillery in Gimli, Manitoba, from releasing new expressions and tinkering with its core lineup from time to time. 

One whisky from that core range is Crown Royal Reserve, a blend that sits somewhere above the Deluxe expression in terms of price and quality. This whisky was just given an update, or an upgrade depending on your point of view, and is now called Crown Royal Reserve Aged 12 Years.

That number in the name means the whisky now has an age statement, which the previous version did not have. As in other categories like Scotch whisky and bourbon, the age refers to the youngest whisky in the blend, so there could be some older liquid included as well. 

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According to a Crown Royal representative, another difference is that the new 12-year-old version is a blend of the five different styles of whisky that the distillery makes, which come from three different mash bills that are matured in both new and used oak barrels. Each is aged separately and then blended together. The original Reserve, on the other hand, didn't include all five styles.

The extra age and additional component whiskies brings a fruitier element to the palate, which is still very recognizable as a Crown Royal expression. Just a touch of spice is present, but big notes of vanilla, apple, berry, caramel, and milk chocolate are the main show. And at 80 proof, there’s very little heat.

"Crown Royal Reserve Aged 12 Years stays true to the tradition of the original Crown Royal Reserve offering while elevating the flavor profile with more pronounced fruity notes," said master blender Mark Balkenende in a statement. "This expression enhances what makes Reserve unique within the Crown Royal portfolio, now featuring the exciting addition of an age statement that provides a more elevated experience for our consumers.”

As you might expect, there’s a bit of a price hike for this new whisky, but it’s not that extreme. It's $50 per bottle versus $45 for the original Reserve. So, grab bottles of the new and old versions—while both are still on shelves—if you want to compare the two to see what these updates have done to the whisky. 

Related: Crown Royal Just Dropped Its Oldest Whisky Ever. Fans Better Act Fast