Crown Royal Black

I suppose the upstanding folks at Diageo expect us to attribute the dark colour of Crown Royal Black to the charred casks it is aged in. Notice they don't come right out and say it, but simply imply the connection. Frightening colour aside, how does this stuff taste? The short answer is "pretty good."

On the nose it definitely resembles regular Crown but comes across as woodier, more bourbony. So far, so good. Bigger oak, also more of a floral influence. Sweetly fragrant, with hints of caramel and chocolate that you don't get from the Deluxe edition. Gets even more so on ice. Underneath there are some toasty grain aromas but the sweet charred oak dominates.

Follows through on the palate. Straight up it is somewhat restrained, with a touch of bitterness that we might attribute to an overdose of caramel colouring. On ice it is creamy, floral, and altogether pleasant. It lacks the charm of regular CR (comparing from memory), but offers more body and bigger spice.

It finishes nice and consistent, with decent length. That sweet woody taste persists.

Overall, Crown Royal Black does the job. It is a bigger, juicier version of the original, missing certain elements but introducing several new ones. A touch of bitterness throws it off rather than contributing to balance, but that is a minor point. A welcome addition to the Canadian whisky section, and worth the extra bucks over Crown Royal Deluxe.

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