Crown Royal Noble Collection 13 Year Blenders' Mash

Wow...two weeks since I’ve had a proper pour ( and no, two wee sips of what was left in the Tobias and Angel bottle doesn’t count). So—I decided to have this week’s pour in the form of this 13 yr Canadian “bourbon”, courtesy sent by my buddy @dubz480. I’m a huge fan of Crown Royal’s first in their Noble series: the Cornerstone, which coincidentally was also awarded “best” by that Panama hat wearing self proclaimed whiskey guru Jimbo Murray. Based on how much I liked that one, I bought their follow up act in the Noble series, Wine Barrel finish, which I wasn’t a fan of, nor did I dislike it...was middle of the road. I never tried their 3rd release ( French oak), having quickly written off Noble collection as a one hit wonder. This one here is their 4th in the series. This is the oldest of the Noble collection, and I think the only one with an age statement. With a mashbill of 60/36/4 corn/rye/barley, why is it not called bourbon? Well...that’s because ‘Mercia has a monopoly on the name “bourbon”. To be called bourbon, you need to have it made in the US of A. Who says the French are the only ones defensive of terroir ? We can play that game too. Anyway—for 13 years, this is pretty restrained..very much like a pissed off Canadian. Minimal sweetness, some oak and cloves. It’s not bad, but I’d have expected more more carrying a lofty title like Noble. But...at $60-70, it’s a damn good VFM. Where else can you get a pretty good 13 yr old for $60? Ask Whistlepig...tell say a 13 yr Canadian is about $200; and Barrell will say it’s about $110. So...all in all, not a bad deal. Thanks dubz for the pour!

This is not bourbon whiskey. That’s what the sticker on the purple tube says. It’s what the sticker on the bottle says. I must’ve gotten a rogue batch before production consulted legal, because mine doesn’t say “blenders mash”. It says “bourbon mash”. But don’t worry: this is not bourbon whiskey. It’s made from a bourbon mash bill, aged in new, charred American white oak barrels. It pours out beautifully into a snifter, amber in hue. But don’t worry: this is not bourbon whiskey. Nose is dusty. You can smell the extra age in the oak. I can also pick out caramel, lemon, and raspberries, but the oak is the main feature. This is not bourbon whiskey. Body flavors are subtle, but the mouth feel packs a punch. Don’t go into this dram with chapped lips. It’s far mellower than I expected based on the oak nose. Caramel, honey, and powdered sugar are present. Bit of raspberry. It’s hot, particularly for 90 proof, but hot damn is it delicious. This is not bourbon whiskey. Finish endures longer than expected. The heat from the body turns to pure black pepper, and it buzzes on pleasantly, particularly on the front rim of your tongue. This is not bourbon whiskey. Can I just say it? This song and dance is kind of ridiculous. This dram is a better “not bourbon whiskey” than most bourbons I’ve tried. It’s intense and subtle in all the right places. It’s affordable. I really love the transitions. It’s almost as if someone crafted a really dynamic whiskey, much the same way one would craft a bourbon, but with an extreme talent that many bourbon producers lack. Oh yeah, and it was crafted in Canada. Whoops. Finger wag. Slap of the wrist. IMHO: if Blanton’s can make bourbon that Americans CAN’T have, I’m not going to beat up on some Canadians who make a delicious bourbon that Americans can. That’s right. I said it. But DO NOT WORRY: this is not bourbon whiskey.