So there I was last month, drowsy and cranky at the bar of the Crowne Plaza Docklands Royal Victoria Dock after a punishing flight from Chicago. This friendly guy behind the bar, whose name is Marcus, is asking me what I want to drink. I’m thinking beer, maybe wine. And then he’s like, “Try the Crown Royal. We just got some new varieties in.” Honestly? I wasn’t sold. Canadian whisky was never much of a go-to spirit for me.
But Marcus sounded like he knew his stuff, and the view of the Thames from that bar was sweet. So I figured, why not? Then a second drink, and then a third, and now here I am writing about Crown Royal like a whisky geek or something. The Crowne Plaza Docklands Royal Victoria Dock has this amazing setup right on the water. You can watch boats go by while you sip your drink. Marcus told me they get a lot of business travelers who come in stressed and leave happy. I get it now.
Why I Was Wrong About Crown Royal
Until that night in London, I thought Crown Royal was just fancy marketing. Purple bag, royal name; seemed like all flash, no substance. Boy, was I wrong. Crown Royal began in 1939 when this man, Samuel Bronfman, wanted to impress the King and Queen of Canada. It had to be something rather special for a royal, right? So he created something special. The crazy part? It was actually as good as it was supposed to be.
The regular Crown Royal tastes very smooth and doesn’t burn your throat. It’s got vanilla notes, a little bit of apple, and a little bit of spice at the end. Nothing too over the top, but it all goes together. Marcus said they mix over fifty whiskies to achieve that flavor. Fifty! Most manufacturing can’t even mix five without a mess, and that’s what’s so cool about it.
The Flavors That Actually Work
That’s where Crown Royal got savvy. But instead of doubling down on one recipe, they began crafting different flavors. Alright, I know what you’re thinking: flavored whisky, right? That sounds a lot like college party fuel. But these guys did it right. That night I even gave their Peach a go at Crowne Plaza Docklands Royal Victoria Dock. It actually tastes like peaches, not some fake candy garbage.
The Apple version reminds me of my mom’s apple pie. The Vanilla? Pure dessert in a glass. Marcus said they’re releasing a chocolate flavor this September for about twenty-seven bucks. Not gonna lie, I’m curious. If it’s as good as their other flavors, it could be good. The blackberry one was just released this summer. It’s a limited edition, which means you’d better get it while you can. I liked it so much that I ordered a bottle of it online after tasting it.
Premium Stuff That’s Worth the Money
The regular Crown Royal is great but their fancy bottles are insane. Crown Royal XR uses whisky from a distillery that closed down. That is, once it’s gone, it’s gone forever. Pretty cool concept, actually. They have this 12-year reserve that’s been aged in new oak barrels. More expensive than the regular stuff, but you can taste the difference. It’s richer and more complex. The kind of whisky you sip slowly instead of knocking back. Their XO line gets finished in cognac barrels. It sounds fancy because it is fancy. But it’s not fancy just to be fancy but it actually changes the flavor in a good way.
What Makes Crown Royal Different
The great thing about Crown Royal is they know exactly who they are. They are not out to be Scottish scotch or Kentucky bourbon. They are Canadian whisky, and they aren’t shy about it. Most whisky companies either get super traditional or try to be too trendy. Crown Royal hit this sweet spot where they respect their history but are willing to try new things. Smart move. The consistency matters too. Whether you buy Crown Royal in New York or Los Angeles, it tastes the same. That purple bag isn’t just for show, but it’s a promise that what’s inside won’t disappoint you.
The Controversy That’s Got Everyone Talking
Right around the time I was getting into Crown Royal, something pretty wild happened back in Ontario. Premier Doug Ford literally dumped out a bottle of Crown Royal whisky right in front of reporters. The guy was seriously ticked off about Diageo shutting down their Ontario bottling plant. I saw the video online and honestly? Ford was pissed. He called the company “about as dumb as a bag of hammers” for making this move. Pretty harsh words from a premier, but when you’re talking about almost 200 people losing their jobs by February 2026, I get why he’s fired up.
The whole mess started when Diageo announced they’re closing the Crown Royal bottling facility in Amherstburg, Ontario. They want to move operations to the US to save money. Business decision? Sure. Good look? Not so much. What really got to me was thinking about those workers. These folks have been bottling Crown Royal for years, and now they’re getting kicked to the curb so the company can cut costs.
That doesn’t sit right with me, even as someone who’s become a fan of the whisky itself. Marcus at the Crowne Plaza bar actually mentioned this when I was there. He said some Canadian customers have been asking for other whiskies instead of Crown Royal because of the plant closure. Can’t say I blame them.
Why Crown Royal Works Right Now
The whisky world has lost its head with craft distilleries and small-batch everything. Not that some of that stuff isn’t awesome, mind you. But then again, sometimes you just need a reliable one. Crown Royal gives you that reliability without being boring. They’re backers of live music venues from coast to coast, which is really neat. Many of those places were buckling during the pandemic, and Crown Royal has been there to help.
They have something for everyone. New to whisky? Try the regular blend. Want something fun? Go for the flavored versions. Serious whisky drinker? Check out their premium lines.
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My Take After Six Months of Drinking Crown Royal
Since that night at Crowne Plaza Docklands Royal Victoria Dock, I’ve sampled nearly every Crown Royal variety I could get my hands on. Some are better than others, but none of them suck. That’s saying something in the whisky world. The Peach is likely my favorite fruit-flavored one. Therefore, the 12-year Reserve is perfect for a special occasion. The regular blend fills in for casual drinking.
What has impressed me is the way they have evolved through the years and not lost their core identity. The purple bag still implies quality. But the flavor nevertheless screams “Crown Royal,” even if you’ve gone off the deep end and selected a different version. “Crown Royal is worth a whirl, even if you think you don’t like Canadian whisky,” Marcus at the hotel bar said. Sometimes all you need is the right context and the right person to help you see why something is special.
Next time I’m back at Crowne Plaza Docklands Royal Victoria Dock, I’m definitely stopping by that bar again. Marcus probably has a new type of Crown Royal to sample, and that view of the Thames is not getting old anytime soon. The bottom line? Crown Royal earned its reputation the hard way; by making good whisky consistently for over eighty years. That purple bag isn’t just marketing. It’s proof that sometimes the fancy stuff actually is better.