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Is the the end for CR Northern Harvest?

0 10

10 replies

@Jonesz
Jonesz replied

@Nozinan You likely are posting a bit tongue in cheek but to put Crown Royal into perspective on the "shortage" front I quote from de Kergommeaux's book in which he states on page 226 that there are 46 warehouses in which 1.4 million barrels of whisky sit quietly maturing. He also says that there are on site 19,000 empty barrels at any one time waiting to be filled. I can't see a shortage due to work stoppage, but the shear enormity of quantity begs the question as to why they haven't as yet gone ahead with CS version. Also Jim Murray has really fanned the flames re NHR as we in the province of production have not one bottle left on the shelves.I read elsewhere that Ontario recently received 10,000 more bottles. I have never tasted this one and am not in a hurry to do so unless offered sample by a friend. (My own small protest against perceived excellence)

8 years ago 0

@Nozinan
Nozinan replied

@Jonesz

I think you captured my intent very well. The reason I posted this was because it pertains to whisky (and I admit my interest in labour issues), but also because there was a comment about them making the world's best whisky. I don't know if that comment was directly in reference to CRNH or in general.

As to the issue of CS version of Canadian whisky, I wholeheartedly agree with you, but I would then probably end up with more bottles on my wish list as I'm sure my appreciation for Canadian whiskies would grow beyond the few releases I really enjoy.

As to CRNH itself, I would not worry about missing it. It was forgettable. Well, since I posted a review it will be hard to forget, but.... If I could only have one taste of this or Brora in y life, I know what I would choose.

8 years ago 1Who liked this?

@Jonesz
Jonesz replied

I was mistaken looks like the MLCC was restocked with the Northern Harvest in the past couple of days. There is now a glut of these once again. Think I'll go down and buy a Canadian Club 100% Rye. At least I know that was made in a smaller factory in Calgary.Just being a smart a**.

8 years ago 5Who liked this?

@Lars
Lars replied

@Jonesz IMHO the CC 100% Rye is better esp in a Old Fashioned. ;)

8 years ago 0

@Jonesz
Jonesz replied

@Lars Thanx Lars, We've had a couple of bottles of CC 100% Rye here as well and really enjoyed them. My other half likes a rye and water when she joins me for a dram at happy hour. This Alberta Distillers whiskey is really quite nice and several $ (7) cheaper per bottle. Will pick up another.

8 years ago 1Who liked this?

@Spitfire
Spitfire replied

I'm gonna jump in here with a comment,

Last fall, when I read about the CR NHR getting the "big nod" from Jim Murray, I was excited--a Canadian whiskey, really? But of course, the local shelves emptied in a hurry and I never did get a chance to try any.

I'd just read de Kergommeaux's book, and was looking to increase my knowledge of Canadian spirit--as a Canadian, I felt I should have a taste for the stuff. It's locally available, it seems popular, and it seems somehow patriotic. Up to then, my experiences with Canadian whiskey had been rather muted...sorry, but all I've tried kinda tastes the same to me. Likely it's my inexperienced palate, but I wasn't finding the richness of the Scotch single malts, the punch of American bourbons, or the delicacy of the Japanese spirits.

Anyway, I still haven't found a bottle of the NHR, but I did get a chance to try a shot in a hotel lounge during a recent trip to the city. I was...well, Jim Murray certainly tasted things I wasn't picking up on. To me, it tasted like pretty much every other Canadian whiskey I've tried so far. I must be missing the subtleties (as I said, I'm still rather new to this)--either that, or that bartender poured me something else.

8 years ago 1Who liked this?

@Nozinan
Nozinan replied

@Spitfire

I won't say there aren't subtleties that you're missing. Some of my most trusted whisky friends like this one a lot more than I do, but I really am not impressed.

However, I would be happy to stand side by side with the workers who deserve to be paid fairly for making billions for Diageo.

8 years ago 1Who liked this?

@paddockjudge
paddockjudge replied

@Spitfire,

CR Northern Harvest is an anomaly. It is a value priced whisky which is affordable to many, but fully appreciated by few. The facility in Gimli, Manitoba has been pumping out the $ame $afe product for decade$. Recently Crown Royal has released some world class creations.

The Monarch 75th Anniversary Blend is a truly regal blend, an example of 80 pf whisky derived from aging stocks and youthful Coffey Still Rye. This would be my favourite CR if not for CR Hand Selected Barrel at 103 pf, a rye forward, bourbonish whisky (it can't be called bourbon because it is made in Canada) produced from that magical Coffey Still. This whisky deserves an 'e' between the 'k' and the 'y'.....isn't that a Mississippi John Hurt tune from the early part of the last century?

The CR Northern Harvest is Jim Murray's lightning rod. He could have picked another Canadian Whisky (some critics did) and attracted the same type of resentment outside of Canada with perhaps slightly less controversy and confusion inside of Canada. Murray loves his rye and especially Canadian rye. Why did he choose CRNHR, only Jim knows for sure. One thing is certain, there will be a lot of this particular whisky produced for a very long time...and that is a very good thing.

for a connoisseur's palate.

8 years ago 2Who liked this?

@Spitfire
Spitfire replied

@Nozina--I agree about the union dispute. And that's kinda part of it...most Canadian whisky I've tried tastes like it comes from a giant factory, I admit I haven't tasted a whole lot of it, but what I have tasted always seems just kinda, well, standardized; standard issue.

Except for Forty Creek. They produce some nice stuff that tastes like someone actually cared about it.

8 years ago 1Who liked this?

@Spitfire
Spitfire replied

@paddockjudge Thanks. I will pick up a bottle of the NHR if/when I see it on a local shelf, as I'd like to give it another chance. However, I may never develop a discriminating enough palate to appreciate it the way Mr. Murray does--and nothing wrong with that, there's lots of whisky out there I can appreciate already.

8 years ago 1Who liked this?

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