Crown Royal Takes Over Canadian Awards

Crown Royal Whisky makes its products at a distillery in Gimli, Manitoba Canada. Settled by immigrants from Iceland, the word gimli means “Safe from hellfire” and signified those who’ve had enough of the earthquakes and volcanoes in their home land. Crown Royal whiskey is now one of the most recognized brands of whisky in the world.

I had the opportunity to speak with Stephen Wilson, the Director of Whisky Engagement for Crown Royal. He’s been working with their parent company Diageo for over 15 years and brings a wealth of insight to one of the top performing brands.

Canadian Whisky Awards

Founded by Davin de Kergommeaux in 2010, the Canadian Whisky Awards recognize the very best Canadian whiskies and has become the premiere event. As consumers are developing more sophisticated and discerning palates, premium and high quality offerings are paramount. With the growth of the Canadian Whisky category, this year’s awards welcomed over 150 submissions.

Of course there could only be one king and the crown went to Crown Royal Whisky 18 Years which received a gold medal. The limited-edition Crown Royal Noble Collection Winter Wheat received the top honor of Canadian Whisky of the Year.

Crown Royal Noble Collection

From premium offerings and flavours to ready-to-drink cocktails, consumers are discovering and enjoying whiskies in a multitude of ways. The Crown Royal Noble Collection is a series of limited releases that celebrates the skilled craftsmanship of distillers and blenders. Aged in new American oak, it is light bodied and sweet with notes of praline, banana bread and toasted oak on the nose, followed by a warm and buttery finish.

Crown Royal anticipates that both the premium and flavoured whisky categories will continue to grow in the coming year as consumers are more interested than ever in trying new offerings. “Our teams will continue pushing themselves to innovate, with both premium offerings and flavours, while honoring our rich history and our unmistakable Crown Royal smoothness. We are working on some exciting new product launches for our vibrant, multi-faceted consumers,” said Wilson.