Editor’s Note: This whisky was provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. This in no way, per our editorial policies, influenced the final outcome of this review. It should also be noted that by clicking the buy link in this review our site receives a small referral payment which helps to support, but not influence, our editorial and other costs.
What is green, appears to be roughly in their 20s, and is accused of being an abomination by the majority of the townsfolk? Why, Frankenstein’s monster of course! Were you thinking I was going to say “Crown Royal 23-year-old Golden Apple whisky?” Yes, obviously. But I like the point of comparison. Like the monster, Crown Royal’s 23-year-old Golden Apple whisky proves to be a gentle and misunderstood giant once you get to know it.
Crown Royal has an interesting backstory. In 1939, Mr. Samuel Bronfman, the then president of The Seagram Company Ltd., created a Canadian whisky that would be fit for royalty. The resulting product, Crown Royal, was presented to King George VI and his wife, the late Queen Elizabeth, during their royal tour of Canada in 1939. The spirit was contained in a cut-glass decanter and regal purple bag, the same as it is found at liquor stores today.
Crown Royal has expanded since significantly since then, selling roughly 9 million cases in 2021. Crown Royal sells roughly 13 flagship whiskies, including their signature whiskies, their masters series, and their flavor series, which includes four separate flavors – apple, vanilla, peach and salted caramel.
As an avid whisky lover, I frequently wonder why a distiller would pollute a perfectly good whisky with artificial flavoring. Of course, I know the answer. It’s because a lot of people love flavored whisky. The global flavored whisky market, currently worth around $27.9 billion, is expected to reach a value of 47.1 billion by 2030. Purists might be offended, but there are a whole lot of flavored whisky fans who don’t care what the purists think.
To review the Crown Royal Golden Apple Flavored Whisky Aged 23 Years, I also picked up a small sample of their Crown Royal Regal Apple. The Regal Apple is the budget version of the 23-year-old, coming in at $25 for 750ml, as opposed to the $249.99 cost of its big brother. Like the prices, the two whiskies are worlds apart. The Regal Apple was cotton candy sweet, lacking in body and tasting of fake green apples, much like a green apple jolly rancher. The only redeeming quality I could find was its potential as a mixer with hot-cocoa or apple cider.
The Crown Royal Golden Apple Flavored Whisky Aged 23 Years, on the other hand, was an absolute delight. The apple flavor was nuanced, the natural barrel flavors of vanilla, cinnamon, and even oak, clearly discernible, and the finish was a rich maple syrup that tasted like the real thing.
I can honestly say this is the first flavored whisky I truly enjoyed, and will likely even have a glass from time to time during the winter as an after-dinner nightcap. Best put by Hadley Schafer, director of Crown Royal Whisky: “This disruptive new liquid offering is a result of a shared commitment to innovation and creativity that speaks to our fans that have been patiently waiting for an evolution of Regal Apple.”
Trending Stories
Tasting Notes: Crown Royal Golden Apple Flavored Whisky Aged 23 Years
Vital Stats: Aged 23 years. Flavored. 80 proof (40% ABV). $249.99/750ml.
Appearance: Translucent yellow with a touch of brown
Nose: A subtle mist of green apples touch the nose, with cinnamon and a twinge of oak nicely filling it out.
Palate: Raw cane sugar appears alongside light vanilla and a touch of green apple. Spices of cinnamon and nutmeg continue to roll over the green apple and very light cedar appears before the finish of fine maple syrup.
Latest News