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Crown Royal CR Hand Selected Barrel 103 pf "Coffey Rye"

Fit for a King

1 892

@paddockjudgeReview by @paddockjudge

16th Aug 2015

0

Crown Royal CR Hand Selected Barrel 103 pf "Coffey Rye"
  • Nose
    24
  • Taste
    24
  • Finish
    22
  • Balance
    22
  • Overall
    92

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Distribution of ratings for this: brand user

The nose immediately senses a delicious feast. Huge new barrel influence and a heavy char...rock maple shavings, choc ice-cream and bananas with cherries, a side of paper-thin prosciutto crudo, sweet caporal tobacco. MAGNIFICENT - reminiscent of an excellent quality high rye bourbon [such as Four Roses OBSV (35%) rye, 4R has less chocolate and more cherries]

The entry is loaded with banana popsicles and hand rolled cigarettes - accented with vanilla and cinnamon.

The wet tobacco wanes to a peppery tingle while the sweet bananas are muted by a minty-chocolate numbness. This is 103 pf whisky. The heat maintains its presence fading slowly as both chocolate and mint become quiet. Peppery tingle and pleasant heat on exit.

Finish is hot. Cacao, fresh banana slices, and maple butter linger. The dry finish becomes silent and leaves only a hint of the feast that preceeded it. A cardamom seed buzz remains on the tongue.

*empty glass - ash & tar, burnt wood.

This is not my father's Crown Royal. Definitely a cut above.

Crown Royal Hand Selected Barrel 'Coffey Rye' 103 pf is made from a mash of 64% corn, 31.5% rye, and 4.5% malted barley. It is distilled in an ancient Coffey still at the Gimli, MB facility and is not available in Canada. It was originally released in Texas and is available in 14 states. This particular bottle comes from Twin Liquors in Cedar Park, Texas.

There is a fascinating back story to this brilliant release. See Whisky Advocate...

whiskyadvocate.com/2015/01/…

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8 comments

@Nozinan
Nozinan commented

If anyone deserved to get their hands on some if this it is definitely you. Now, if an oz of it managed to find its way to Toronto....

9 years ago 0

@Benancio
Benancio commented

I agree. Best Crown I've ever had, it's of high quality. This looks like a sign of good things to come from the North. I really enjoyed this whiskey.

9 years ago 0

@paddockjudge
paddockjudge commented

@Nozinan, Kind words, thank you. I'm hoping to have a Crown Royal Regalia. The function will feature a table adorned with CR from various decades, distilleries, and recipes...and it most likely will happen in ....Toronto.

9 years ago 0

@paddockjudge
paddockjudge commented

@Benancio, CR Monarch and Hand Select Barrel releases have impressed me. I'm expecting more of these in the future, after all, there are 1.5 million barrels of whisky in Gimli warehouses, with some dating back into the 1990's and it has been reported that stocks dating back prior to the fire at Waterloo in 1992 remain available . Great Canadian whisky is dependent upon many years of aging. Monarch is a blend which contains some very old and delicious whisky along with the younger Coffey Rye. The future looks bright.

9 years ago 0

@Victor
Victor commented

@paddockjudge, @Benancio, I am not at all surprised that it is possible to get excellent Crown Royal bottled at 51.5% ABV.

My question is always the same: when are those Canadian distilleries and provincial governments going to allow their own people to drink their own whisky within their own national borders at 50+% ABV?

These higher-proof US bottlings of Canadian whiskies have to be putting on some pressure to bring about that desirable result.

@paddockjudge, I am delighted that you were able to obtain this bottle. You are really going to like that Single Barrel WhistlePig which is waiting for you, too.

9 years ago 0

@paddockjudge
paddockjudge commented

@Victor, the elusive Single Barrel WhistlePig was near the top of my wish list. Thanks for setting the table on this one. Perhaps I could double down if @Jonathon were to attend the W20 Summit...or if I were to attend the Preakness.

9 years ago 0

@Victor
Victor commented

@paddockjudge, these private single barrel bottles don't linger. You've got to nail them immediately if you want them. Talk to @jonathan, but I'd be surprised if there are any more of them available.

I am sure that I do not need to persuade YOU that some very great things can occur with Canadian whiskies bottled at 50-67% ABV.

9 years ago 0

@newreverie
newreverie commented

I finally picked one of these up the other day. Being a spoiled Texan I can go pick up a variety of Whistle Pig SB or this CRHSB. I saw it yesterday for $40 and decided it was time to get one.

7 years ago 0