Review: Crown Royal 30 Years Old

You’re reading that headline right: Canadian whisky keeps getting older, and Crown Royal has just dropped its oldest expression ever. The second expression in the Royal Series (we missed last year’s 29 year old) sees Crown at a full 30 years old, distilled entirely in Coffey stills and bottled in an impressively fancy, bag-draped decanter.

Canadian whisky veterans will find plenty of familiarity here — just older and older. The nose is peppery with tons of barrel-infused char, eventually settling into a somewhat oxidized, furniture polish note for a time. That blows off eventually, showing notes of maple and cherry pits in a bit of a sweet swirl.

On the palate, sweetness leads the way — in fact, the maple notes are heavy and a bit syrupy. If you’ve ever experienced old grain whisky from Scotland, you’ll find a lot of the same tasting notes here, including brown butter and orange peel. A gooey fig quality emerges late in the game, though the whole affair hits as a little saccharine and a touch medicinal — again, hallmarks of old grain spirit.

I’ve had younger Crown Royal expressions that were dazzling, and while I’m not ready to write this one off as “on the decline,” it certainly showcases Crown Royal at what is probably getting awfully close to that terminus.

92 proof.

B+ / $499 / crownroyal.com [BUY IT NOW FROM RESERVEBAR]

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