While an oak undertone lays low at first, it gradually gets on equal footing with the vanilla, bringing with it notes of rye and clove that turn the overall aroma in an earthier direction, but still remaining relatively sweet.
Nose: The first aroma that manifests as a mellow, sweet vanilla with notes of orange, nutmeg, and a touch of salt adding a spicy, tropical character to the bouquet. It’s on the darker side of whiskey in general, but not by too much. Bottles of 750 ml run for a suggested retail price of $60.Īppearance: Both in the bottle and in the glass, this whisky is primarily a bronze color with a touch of coppery red, giving it a slightly reddish hue. Aged for a minimum of 13 years in new, charred, American oak barrels, and bottled at 45% ABV. Vital Stats: Canadian whisky with a bourbon-like mash bill of 60% corn, 36% rye, and 4% barley malts. Crown Royal Noble Collection 13-Year-Old Blenders’ Mash (image via Diageo) Tasting Notes: Crown Royal Noble Collection 13-Year-Old Blenders’ Mash It has as its mash bill a mix of 60% corn, 36% rye, and 4% barley malt, and has been aged in new, American oak barrels for at least 13 years – making it the oldest age-statement release from Crown Royal to date. While apparently only a name change, we still reviewed both the Bourbon Mash and the Blenders’ Mash earlier this year.Ĭrown Royal notes that both the regular Blenders’ Mash and this 13-year-old are in some way inspired by one of the five whiskies used to make the Crown Royal Deluxe blend, but the two expressions are technically distinct.Īside from the obvious named aging difference, the 13-year-old Blenders’ Mash is the third installment of the Noble Collection, which is an annual, limited-release series by Crown Royal. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) for first allowing Crown Royal to use the term, and then changing its mind too late for Crown Royal to change its label for the first release. In the wake of Crown Royal’s misadventure in briefly selling Canadian-made “bourbon” in the United States earlier this year, the famous whisky brand has forged ahead with its bourbon-inspired offering that’s now dubbed “Blenders’ Mash.”Įarlier this summer – months after Crown Royal parent Diageo agreed to give up the name “Bourbon Mash” – the distillery announced the release of a limited-release, premium version of the whiskey that triggered the uproar: a 13-year-old Blenders’ Mash.Īlthough it seems like an oversight for Crown Royal to have used bourbon for a non-American whisky released in the United States, the true blunder seems to fall on the U.S. Confused to what we are talking about exactly? Read on to understand more.
“Our team of Distillers and Blenders are always experimenting and innovating and this whisky is a product stemming from that creativity and collaboration, much like our award-winning Winter Wheat!”Ĭrown Royal Noble Collection: Barley Edition is 90 proof and will be available for a limited time at $79.99.When is the name of a whisky not a whiskey? When it is a Canadian corn-forward whisky which originally had bourbon in its title as the result of a labeling snafu by the U.S. “This exquisite whisky is a special release for the Crown Royal portfolio, given the expression’s full barley mash bill,” says Stephen Wilson, Director of Whisky Engagement for Crown Royal. Aged for at least five years, the latest expression is a unique blend of whiskies distilled from unmalted and malted barley grains. With notes of toasted oak and sweet caramel, Crown Royal Noble Collection: Barley Edition starts with an aroma of creamy vanilla and fruity green apple and ends in a warm and rounded finish. “We’re excited for consumers to round out their collection with this incredibly robust liquid and raise a glass to final iteration of the long-standing series.” “The final release of our Noble Collection puts a bow on our roster of whiskies that have pushed boundaries – from unique blending techniques and maturation processes to distillation methods – while honoring our roots and tradition,” says Hadley Schafer, Director at Crown Royal. The collection is a series of annual limited releases that explores the future of whisky and celebrates the innovation of the brand. Iconic Canadian whisky Crown Royal recently revealed the final installment of its Noble Collection with its Barley Edition.