Our man on the bar stool whips up Crown Royal recipes for holiday health
They say, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” With the cold and flu season coming into full swing, I’m not really sure it’s such a grand plan to go it alone with just a piece of fruit that’s usually reserved for still-life paintings and as a target to shoot on people’s heads. I would advise consulting a qualified physician at the local neighborhood discount pharmacy and Photomat. Nevertheless, that’s what they say, and just to be on the safe side I’ll abide…in my own way. That said; let’s get to the core of the situation.
The spirits world has been going berserk over flavored vodkas lately. There’s everything from cotton candy to sriracha out there. You can’t blink an eye without glimpsing a brightly colored martini glass full of fluorescent jive. So it was only a matter of time before the rest of the industry began catching up with the hype. The whiskey genre hasn’t been neglected in the least. But it’s been lagging in the variety department. I’ve taste tested many, many of the flavored whiskeys over the last couple of years and most of them leave me quite satisfied. Luckily, none of them have been candy corn with sprinkles and gummy bears served out of peanut butter cups. I tend to stick more to the classics when I go brown.
That’s why I’m pleased that the folks up at Lake Winnipeg, in Manitoba have been busy out in the orchards this year. Just in time for the holidays, Crown Royal Canadian Whisky has blended its legendary rye and corn product with Regal Gala apples and hints of spice to create a 70-proof winner that’s sure to look right at home next to the fireplace this season.
Like the traditional Crown, it’s already gift-wrapped in a felt bag. But this time it’s a deep forest green instead of the usual Prince and The Revolution purple. So if you hurry, you can save up enough of them to stitch up a nice elf outfit in time for Christmas.
The other day, I sat down and had a conversation with a tipple of Crown’s Regal Apple and was pleasantly taken by what it had to say. It’s rather tart at first. There’s a very crispy and refreshing candy-apple tone to the top of the tongue. It then finishes with a slightly sweet caramel taste that’s warm and soothing. It was perfectly steady on its own feet with just an ice cube sliding around in the tumbler.
But I know that different strokes are for different folks. So, I wrangled some guinea pigs, put on a Burl Ives record, filled a bowl with cashews and opened the bar to let them go at it.
The classic “Washington Apple Shot” is a perfect marriage for this whiskey. It consists of Crown Royal Regal Apple, Apple Schnapps and a splash of cranberry juice. It’s a tad sharp. But I put a splash of 7-Up over it and it laid right out.
“The Candy Apple” really hits the spot with Crown Royal Regal Apple and a dose of Crown Royal Maple Finished whisky. Just give them a shake over ice, pour these in a glass and let them do the rest. We thought it would be really good topped with Horchata. But I was fresh out.
Lastly, “The Big Apple” is Crown Royal Regal Apple with a little sweet vermouth and a dash of angostura bitters. It’s basically a Manhattan—hence the name. So, you can put a cherry in it if you simply can’t resist and that will be just fine.
How do you like them apples? Cheers!