Notes: Crown Royal is a blended Canadian Whisky line going back Seagrams and the Bronfman family with the introduction of the Crown Royal Whisky in honor of the maiden visit of King George and Queen Elizabeth to Canada in 1939. Made with over 50 distinct whiskies in the blend it has always been one of the more recognized of the Canadian Whiskies. Over time many other line extensions such as Crown Royal Deluxe, Crown Royal Black, Crown Royal Reserve, Crown Royal Extra Rare, and this their latest, Crown Royal Monarch 75th Anniversary Blend for their 75th anniversary of the visit and the brand. There is also a Crown Royal Maple Finished Whisky.
This their Crown Royal XO is a blend of over 50 whiskies which is then finished in cognac barrels made from Limosin Oak.

Appearance: Clear light  gold amber, on swirling it forms an oily coat on the glass with a slowly forming droplet line then legs

First Impression: Nicely subtle nose, much more restrained than even the Monarch 75th Anniversary Nicely mellow toffee and rye spice notes with hints of cinnamon and whispers of nutmeg ver the toffee and rye notes

Taste: Smooth and spicy, with vanilla, caramel, citrus and slightly drying with a spicy finish that is slightly warming with a nicely citrus fruit finish. The cognac barrel finishing knocks a lot of rough edges off the whiskey and adds fruit and citrus elements that lighten the profile nicely.

Drinks: Since you are paying $50 a bottle for this and its rather delicate nature I wouldn’t really recommend using it in cocktails. Enjoy this on its own and use a cheaper grade of Crown Royal with mixers. However it does make a very smooth Old Fashioned

Bottle: Since we only have a small sample bottle we cannot comment on the packaging details much ( and also why we had to resort to a stock photo).Unlike their   tankard Crown Royal flask/horseshoe shaped bottle with their pressed glass design this bottle is made from smooth glass bottle and with a smooth gold/bronze colored top rather than a crown  as far as we can make out. Dark brown rather than standard purple bag. That is about all we can glean from the stock photos

Cigars: An Ashton or Davidoff with a shade grown wrapper, although a smaller diameter and longer smoke is recommended possibly a panatela

Final Thoughts: A very nicely done example of what is possible by a master blender with a stock of whiskey to create a signature blend that is then put in something other than the standard cooperage to finish. While many people look down on blended whiskies as inferior products, few people realize that blending can be like a symphony rather than a solo ( as in a single malt or single barrel variety whiskey). With the right components a symphony can be much larger than the sum of its parts.

Website: http://www.crownroyal.com
While big on content, the site is very light on facts or factual,useful information as to the actual whisky or the whiskies involved and their production.Full of recipes, organizations, promotions and lots of other material, but very little of substance regarding the actual whisky.