Crown Royal Noble Collection Barley Edition

Barley sugar for barley whisky then waxy, malty, cereal tones. Fragrant apples, peaches and apricots. Dry grass and nutty, woodsy herbs with brisk spicy peppers and soft spring pansies. Splendorous complexity.

With its recently released Barley Edition, the seventh and final whisky in this award-winning and much-sought-after series, Crown Royal’s Noble Collection concludes on a triumphant crescendo of cereal and malt.

In blending a selection of whiskies distilled from 100% barley grain—15% malted and 85% unmalted, all aged for at least 5 years, some much longer—the blending team at Crown Royal has captured the nutty essence of barley in a carefully integrated whisky that demonstrates both breadth and balance.

Given the massive volumes of Crown Royal sold—only Jack Daniels sells more in the North American market—we tend to forget that Crown Royal has a prolific innovations team staffed with highly skilled scientists, distillers, blenders and production workers.

Over its first six releases, The Noble Collection showcased their ineffable craftsmanship in blended whiskies featuring corn, rye, or wheat. Now it is barley’s turn to take the stage, and it does so with confidence and poise.

Nose: Cereal. Vague malt at first whiff then fruity with pansies and the feel of camphor. Citrus tones, peppermint, vague hints of clean wood, icing sugar and Delicious apples round it out.

Palate: Sweet and round with the soft sweetness of barley sugar. A bit waxy and sort of herbal as robust white pepper and milder apricots blend into a single tightly balanced unit. A gorgeous, glowing spicy edge.

Finish: Some sweetness. Mildly woody with hints of dry grass, echoes of mixed nuts, apple overtones and more pansies.

Crown Royal Noble Collection: Barley Edition - Highly recommended.