How to Drink Crown Royal

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Crown Royal is a premium Canadian whiskey that was created in 1939 to honor King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, the first reigning monarchs to visit Canada.^{[1]
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Research source} Crown Royal is commonly served neat, meaning on its own without mixers. When served neat, Crown Royal is usually served at room temperature, but it can also be enjoyed chilled. It also tastes great mixed into cocktails. Whether you’re thinking of trying whiskey for the first time, or you’re an experienced whiskey drinker looking for new something new, Crown Royal is a great choice.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Drinking Crown Royal Neat

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Use a whiskey glass or rocks glass for the best flavor. It’s perfectly fine to drink out of whatever you have on hand, but some glasses are better than others at highlighting the flavor of the Crown Royal. A specialty whiskey glass is the best option, as the curvature of the glass concentrates the vapors and flavors of the whiskey. If you don’t have a whiskey glass, any short glass tumbler will work.^{[2]
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- Other materials like plastic can taint the flavor of the whiskey. If possible, whiskey should always be served in a glass.
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Pour a small amount of Crown Royal into the glass. Drinks served neat are intended to be enjoyed slowly so you can experience all of the flavors, so you don’t need much. Pour about 2 fl oz (59 mL) into the glass, or roughly the height of two fingers.^{[3]
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Take small sips. Roll the Crown Royal around in your mouth and try to see which flavors you can discern. Crown Royal is made by blending different whiskeys, so there are a number of different flavors you can discover. It might just taste strongly of alcohol at first, but over time you will be able to notice the nuances.^{[4]
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- Try sniffing the whiskey a few times first to open up your palate!
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Chill your Crown Royal. Put your bottle in the freezer for several hours, or serve the Crown Royal over ice. Serving it cold softens the initial impact, and opens up different flavor nuances.
- Try whiskey stones to chill your drink without diluting the flavor. You can find whiskey stones at any home goods store.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Mixing Crown Royal Cocktails

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Try an Old Fashioned for a strong cocktail on the sweeter side. An Old Fashioned is a classic cocktail made by muddling bitters and simple syrup. It’s typically served in a rocks glass with a twist of citrus as a garnish.^{[5]
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- Fill a large mixing glass with ice. Add 1 fl oz (30 mL) of Crown Royal with .25 fl oz (7.4 mL) of simple syrup and 1-3 dashes of bitters and stir to combine.
- Strain into a small tumbler or rocks glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with a twist of lemon or orange.
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Mix a Manhattan for a strong, slightly bitter cocktail. A Manhattan is another classic whiskey cocktail. It’s similar to an Old Fashioned, but it's a little less sweet. Instead of sweetening the cocktail with simple syrup it’s sweetened with vermouth and maraschino cherries.^{[6]
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- Fill a large mixing glass with ice, and add 2 fl oz (59 mL) of Crown Royal, 1 fl oz (30 mL) of sweet vermouth, and 3-4 dashes of bitters. Stir to combine.
- Place a maraschino cherry and a small amount of cherry juice from the jar in the bottom of a small glass tumbler.
- strain the drink from the mixing glass into the tumbler and enjoy.
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Make a Crown Royal Press for a whiskey-forward flavor with spicy citrus notes. This drink blends the oak, vanilla, and fruit notes of Crown Royal with bitters, lemon juice, and a touch of citrus soda to create a drink that’s similar to a Whiskey Sour, but less sweet.^{[7]
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- Fill a small glass tumbler with ice. Pour in 1.5 fl oz (44 mL) of Crown Royal, 3 dashes of bitters, and the juice squeezed from two lemon wedges. Stir to combine.
- Add a splash of your favorite lemon-lime soda, then drop in one of the lemon wedges and enjoy.
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Blend Crown Royal with apple and ginger beer for a bubbly, refreshing cocktail. A Crown Royal Apple Envy is a sweet fall cocktail made with sliced apples and ginger beer. The sweetness of the apple and the spice of the gingerbeer enhance the oak notes of the Crown Royal for a cocktail that’s crisp and delicious.
- Chop two thick slices of apple into small pieces and muddle with 1 teaspoon of simple syrup.
- Fill a small glass tumbler with ice, and add 2 fl oz (59 mL) of Crown Royal.
- Add the apple and syrup mixture into the tumbler and stir.
- Top with a splash of ginger beer and garnish with an apple slice.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Experimenting With Different Varieties of Crown Royal

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Stick with the Signature Series for a multipurpose whiskey. If you’re looking for a whiskey that’s just as good in cocktails as it is neat, then the Signature Series varieties are a reliable bet.^{[8]
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- For an award-winning whiskey on the more affordable end, try the Northern Harvest Rye variety. It was named Whiskey of the Year in Jim Murray’s Whiskey Bible 2016.
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Splurge on a Master Series variety. If you have a little extra money and prefer your whiskey neat, consider trying one of Crown Royal’s Signature series varieties. The prices are steeper, but the flavors are more complex than the less expensive varieties.^{[9]
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- If you’re looking for a smoother whiskey, try the Crown Royal XO.
- For a rare treat, try Crown Royal XR from La Salle. This variety was blended with the last of the whiskey from the famous La Salle Distillery.^{[10]
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Change up your favorite cocktails with flavored Crown Royal. In addition to the Signature Series and Master Series, Crown Royal offers a flavor series with options like Apple, Peach, Vanilla, Salted Caramel, and Texas Mesquite. Try different combinations in your favorite cocktails to see what works best, or sip them on their own for a change of pace. ^{[11]
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Community Q&A

Question

What is the best way to drink Crown Royal?

Drew Hawkins1

Community Answer

It really depends on how you like to drink liquor. Crown Royal is a whiskey, which means it's a strong alcohol. If you want to enjoy Crown Royal in its purest form, the best way to drink it is what's called "neat." Pour about 2 fl oz (59 mL) into a whiskey glass, or roughly the height of two fingers. If you don’t have a whiskey glass, any short glass tumbler will work. Take small sips and roll the Crown Royal around in your mouth and try to see which flavors you can discern. If you want to soften the alcohol taste, try adding a few ice cubes. As the ice melts, the water will dilute the whiskey and open up some of its more subtle flavors. You could also try whiskey stones to chill your drink without diluting the flavor. No matter how you drink Crown Royal, please drink responsibly and never drive after you've been drinking.
Question

Is Crown Royal Good for sipping?

Drew Hawkins1

Community Answer

Absolutely. Crown Royal is a great choice for drinking neat. Pour about 2 fl oz (59 mL) or roughly the height of two fingers into a whiskey glass or a short glass tumbler. Take small sips and roll the Crown Royal around in your mouth and try to see which flavors and subtle notes you can pick up on. Because Crown Royal is made by blending different whiskeys, there are a number of different flavors you can try to discern. You can also try sniffing the whiskey a few times to open up your palate and detect some of the more subtle flavor notes. They may be hard to detect at first, but as you drink more of the Crown Royal, you'll be able more of the nuances. Serving it cold softens the initial impact, and opens up different flavor nuances, so try tossing a few ice cubes or whiskey stones into the drink to cool it down.
Question

Is Crown Royal a bourbon?

Drew Hawkins1

Community Answer

No, Crown Royal is actually a specific kind of whiskey known as Canadian whiskey. Bourbon has to follow specific legal guidelines in order to be certified as bourbon such as being aged in charred white oak barrels for a minimum of 2 years. Bourbon can also only be made in America. It used to be only in Kentucky, but the federal laws have since been expanded to include other regions. That's why there are Colorado bourbons. The short rule of thumb is: all bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon! However, Canadian whiskey like Crown Royal has its own rich history and tradition, so it isn't a lesser quality whiskey than bourbon.