Review: Crown Royal Marquis and Chocolate

Crown Royal recently dropped two new expressions, one a finished whisky (rum barrels), and one a heavily flavored one (chocolate).

We got ’em both. Thoughts follow.

Crown Royal Marquis Review

Crafted for “the next era of nightlife” — which I thought was “staying home” — Crown Royal Marquis is a blend of Canadian whiskies finished in Caribbean rum casks. There’s no age statement on this one, which arrives in a deep maroon velvet bag, and which showcases a dark amber hue in the glass.

There is zero mystery that rum is involved in this whisky, and the casks used to finish it must have come through as quite wet indeed. It smells more like rum than whisky, with aromas of banana, toasted coconut, and burnt brown sugar all in effect. Distinctly sugary, the fruity elements melt into a butterscotch character on both the nose and palate as you take the first sips, revealing one of the sweetest renditions of Crown Royal I can recall ever tasting. Lots of vanilla, more brown sugar, and a rummy molasses character enhance a fruity pop of pineapple, baked apple, and a reprise of very brown banana. The fairly thin body comes across as innocuous, and if the whisky had less of an exuberant tiki vibe going on it would be instantly forgettable. As it stands, it seems like a perfect mixer for those who want rum drinks but don’t really want any rum in them. I’m sure they’re out there.

80 proof. B- / $40

Crown Royal Chocolate Review

You guessed it: Chocolate-flavored Crown Royal, literally a blend that “combines carefully selected Crown Royal whiskies with rich chocolate flavor.”

You smell the chocolate sauce element right away, from the moment you open the bottle. It’s dense and reminiscent mostly of Nestle cocoa powder, surprisingly immersive. Aromas of vanilla and caramel dust the edges, all natural companions to the onslaught of chocolate. Same goes for the palate: There’s no sense of actual whisky here, and the spirit tastes like it might as well be a chocolate liqueur. The good news is that it’s a good chocolate liqueur — not overly sweet, and complemented by more vanilla and caramel, plus hints of rum raisin and nutmeg.

It’s all very festive and fun to sip on, though short of mixing it into an espresso martini in lieu of vodka, I have no idea what I might do with it.

70 proof. B+ / $27

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