When anyone mentions Canadian whisky, the two brands that immediately come to mind are Canadian Mist, and Crown Royal.
They’re ubiquitous to the Canadian liquor market and are rather well-known to the wider whisky drinking population.
But if given a choice between Canadian Mist vs Crown Royal, which one would you go for? Is there a difference?
Let’s take a look at these famous Canadian brands and find out the differences between the two.
What is Canadian Whisky?
Canadian Whisky is in a class all on its own. Whisky itself has many different types, each with their individually regulated characteristics. For Canadian whisky, their laws only determine minimum requirements to be met to be called as such.
To be considered as Canadian whisky, the alcohol must have been mashed, distilled, and aged in Canada.
It should have been aged in small wood for not less than three years, and contain not less than 40% alcohol by volume, or 80° US proof.
Finally, it can contain caramel and flavoring. This last legal requirement opens the door to a huge variety of Canadian whiskies. It’s this variety that fuels the Canadian Mist vs Crown Royal debate.
What is Canadian Mist?
Canadian Mist is a blended Canadian whisky made of a mix of barley malt, rye, and corn. It’s mixed with fresh water taken from Georgian Bay, Ontario, then distilled in a column, or continuous still.
They use a triple distillation process to produce the light clean taste that their signature drink is known for.
The whisky itself is 40% alcohol by volume, or 80° US proof. It has an amber, or rich honey color which it gets from the charred white oak barrels that it’s aged in.
Canadian Mist has a hint of oak, and vanilla to its aroma, and, as the company itself claims, has a soft, light, and sweet taste, with a hint of oak undertones.
The brand has won many accolades, including the 2009 San Francisco World Spirits Competition Gold Medal. Canadian Mist is available in several sizes, including their 1.75-liter backyard party size.
What is Crown Royal?
Crown Royal is the brand name for over a dozen types of blended Canadian whiskies, from the oak cask undertones of the Crown Royal Deluxe, to the Cognac cask-finished Crown Royal XO. This whisky company has a whole line of products made for different kinds of tastes.
If you want to place Canadian Mist vs. Crown Royal, you’ll have to take each of their products into account. Here are some of their most popular that are still in production.
Crown Royal Blender’s Mash
40% alcohol by volume, or 80° US proof. Aged in American oak barrels, and is a corn-heavy blend of their whisky grain mix.
It has the scent of apples, and toffee, with a distinct vanilla flavor with hints of fruit and oak along with a slight caramel aftertaste.
Crown Royal Deluxe
40% alcohol by volume, or 80° US proof. A blend of 50 different full-bodied Canadian whiskies. Deluxe has the aroma and taste of vanilla, along with several oak undertones with a lingering aftertaste.
Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye
45% alcohol by volume, or 90° US proof. A 90% rye-blend whisky, Northern Harvest Rye has an aroma of cereals and baking spices. The blend tastes of butterscotch and spiced vanilla with oak undertones, along with a soft and creamy aftertaste
Crown Royal Black
45% alcohol by volume, or 90° US proof. Aged in charred oak barrels, and blended to have higher alcohol by volume, it’s deeper oak aroma, along with a hint of maple reflects its aging. It has a creamy taste, with hints similar to dried figs, and an aftertaste of bourbon.
Crown Royal Wine Barrel Finished
40.5% alcohol by volume, or 81° US proof. As the name suggests, this Crown royal Product is aged in casks used in the aging of wine, ultimately adapting its flavors. It has hints of berries in its aroma, that complements its flavor of caramel, butterscotch and grapes. It has a spicy aftertaste that is similar to cloves, or anise.
Crown Royal Reserve
40% alcohol by volume, or 80° US proof. Blended from a select mix of whiskies, the Reserve boasts of a scent of apples and floral undertones.
It has a mellow flavor along with hints of oak, cinnamon and vanilla, along with a long-lasting aftertaste.
Crown Royal XO
40% alcohol by volume, or 80° US proof. Aged in casks used in the making of Cognac, Crown Royal XO has an aroma of vanilla, caramel and light oak. Its taste has tones of vanilla, spices, and dried fruit, with a lingering vanilla aftertaste.
Crown Royal XR
40% alcohol by volume, or 80° US proof. Blended with the last batches of whiskey from the now-closed LaSalle Distillery of Quebec, Canada, the XR or Extra Rare has a light, but complex aroma. It has the sweet and spicy undertones of Canadian rye, with a long, peppery and warm aftertaste.
Crown Royal Peach
35% alcohol by volume, or 70° US proof. Infused with the flavor of Georgia Peaches, the Crown Royal Peach is one of the brand’s flavored collection.
It has the aroma of peaches along with hints of spices and oak, and tastes of the fruit along with tones of vanilla and a sweet aftertaste.
Crown Royal Salted Caramel
35% alcohol by volume, or 70° US proof. Infused with the flavor of salted caramel, this blend has a rich, oak aroma, and a subtle salty aftertaste.
A Matter of Taste
With a wide range of whiskeys meant to satisfy different kind of tastes, the Canadian Mist vs Crown Royal argument isn’t easily settled.
As much as Crown Royal has the advantage of variety, Crown Mist has its availability and affordability.
Truth be told, the whole Canadian Mist vs. Crown Royal debate is really much ado about nothing. Most folks like one or the other, and some like both. It’s all a matter of taste, if you think about it.
If you really want to find out which is better, grab a bottle of each and pour yourself a glass. The easiest way to find out if you’ll like something is to try it out in the first place.