ctbeck11
Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye
Canadian — Manitoba, Canada
Reviewed
December 15, 2021 (edited December 18, 2021)
Nose - anise, caramel, apple, bubble gum, powdered sugar, mint, stale bread, clove, underripe banana, hay, orange blossom, black pepper, vanilla, mild to moderate ethanol burn.
Taste - clove, mint, anise, caramel, vanilla, apple, black pepper, lemon pith, chalky oak, banana, bubble gum, cocoa, mild to moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium short with anise, baking spice, and chalky oak flavors.
I’ll admit that I haven’t enjoyed any Crown Royal product I’ve tried in the past, save for mixing with some Crown Peach, but I don’t think that counts. While they strike me as cloying and bland, this one looks more interesting. I’m hoping the rye component will dampen the usual sickliness I’ve found with their standard offerings.
So the nose isn’t too sweet. We’re off to a good start. There’s no doubting this is a rye, as mint, anise, and clove aromas are front and center. Behind them come banana, fruity bubble gum, and unfortunately some moldy bread as well. The palate is sweet for a rye, too sweet for my liking. There’s more mint, baking spices, and banana leading to a short, chalky finish.
So this is definitely my favorite Crown product I’ve tried so far, but that’s not saying much. Even at a higher proof and with a 90% rye mashbill, they can’t seem to escape that cloying, dosed profile. I don’t think it’s terrible. It’s just not for me. Many thanks to @pkingmartin for gifting me his bottle!
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@ContemplativeFox Haha agreed. I could see a one-off vodka review in my future every once in a while, but my days of back-to-back vodka tastings are happily over.
@jlow The Alberta is probably the one I’d put closest to that sweet spot of price and enjoyment. Still, it’s $75 a bottle near me, and I thought it was good (3.5) but not great. If I could find a $75 4.0 or a $50 3.5, I’d stock it. I’ll take the Alberta over the similarly priced WhistlePigs though.
@ctbeck11have you considered the Alberta cask strength ? I guess with that thought, whistlepig as well
@ctbeck11 Ugh, I did pretty much every mini of vodka at TW a couple years ago. Never again.
@PBMichiganWolverine Haha I did a month of vodka reviews, but most were mid to premium offerings. And I’d happily drink the vast majority of them over Canadian Mist.
@ctbeck11 didn’t you do a bottom shelf vodka week one time ?
@ContemplativeFox Ever siphon gas by mouth? That is a better experience.
I’m with @PBMichiganWolverine on this one. I too enjoyed it but for different reasons. I liked that it was inoffensive and didn’t have too much “ryeness”. I find that a lot of ryes have this quality, which I describe as “all spice and no play”. Ironically, this same “ryeness” makes for a better old-fashioned. Go figure. In my humble PoV, the CRNH is good beginner’s rye to gently venture into the world of rye. Reminds me of Tomintoul 14year (the gentle dram) in how easy it is to drink
@angstrom That sounds truly horrible. I'll try it if I ever see it :) And I think any commercially produced spirit counts here.
@ContemplativeFox Somehow that one has eluded me so far. Looks like they sell miniatures for 50 cents. I’ll try to remember to grab one next time I’m out.
@angstrom There are no rules here, so you do you. I’ll need to add that one to my list. Love trying the completely wretched stuff out there.
@BDanner Unfortunately it seems that either the quality is lacking or the prices are way too high. We need some good Goldilocks Canadian whisky option. I’m sure there are some; I just haven’t found them yet.
@ContemplativeFox @ctbeck11 - Does our worst whiskey have to be mass produced by a major distiller? Here is how I described Elkins Colorado Whiskey: Aroma - Malfeasance Taste - Misanthropy Finish - Despondency
This one did grow on me a bit after some time open. I'm with you on Canadian Whiskey. I just haven't found too much worth a repeat buy.
@ctbeck11 Have you had southern comfort? That was so bad it broke my scale.
@Ctrexman Ha! Yea Canadian Mist still ranks as my most hated spirit, right alongside Everclear and some of the more heinous flavored vodkas.
@Ctrexman Lot40 is better. This is good in the sense that in a class of dunces, it’s the only one that passed its GRE
How does this compare to lot40 which is ok decent
Canadian Mist and Black Velvet are so horrid I wouldn't pour them on my gunshot wounds in the apocalypse
@PBMichiganWolverine I wish I found this when I first encountered Canadian whiskies. Unfortunately I started with Canadian Mist and Black Velvet, and honestly my opinion of the entire country still hasn’t fully recovered.
@pkingmartin Thanks! If a better bottle of this would push it to a 3.0 for me, I’d consider that a really solid value. Probably won’t be running out to buy one anytime soon though.
@Milliardo It’s $25 at my local shop. If it’s anywhere near that where you are, I think it’s worth a shot. That sweet Crown profile just doesn’t worth for me.
@ctbeck11 @pkingmartin @Milliardo i had these years ago when it first came out, and absolutely loved it. Not so much because it was amazing, but because it changed my prejudice of Canadian whiskey.
Your welcome! Great review and this just didn’t work for me. I will add that my brother said this was the worst bottle of Northern Harvest he’d had and he’s had over a dozen that he spoke much higher about.
I saw this at the store and was contemplating. Thanks for the review!