Tennessee Crown Club Whisky straight or Snapper
Celebrate something—fall, football, or life in general with the outstanding (and controversial) Canadian whisky blend Tennessee Crown Club, available as always for an “as low as it goes price” at Riley's on Hixson Pike in Hixson.
Tennessee Crown Club, also known as Texas Crown, Florida Crown, Arkansas Crown and Virginia Crown, all depending on which state you’re in, is an ultra-smooth, premium Canadian whisky. It’s made from a traditional Canadian mash recipe consisting of wheat, barley and rye, then aged from four to six years in French oak barrels. Crown Club is then shipped in those same barrels to San Jose, Calif. for bottling before its arrival at Mexcor Importers in Houston, Tex., which then distributes it to Elite Brands in Colorado. Crown Club comes in bags similar to those found on Crown Royal (widely considered to be the finest Canadian whisky in the world) , and for Tennessee's Crown Club bag, you get a state flag replica.
The controversy comes from the use of the word “crown,” the bag and the fact that it's labeled as an ultra-premium Canadian blend. Diageo Spirits (suppliers of Crown Royal) has filed at least three lawsuits against Mexcor Importers claiming the similarities confuse and downright mislead consumers into believing that it is associated with Crown Royal. It's a valid complaint, considering the amount of activity in chat rooms devoted to questions as to whether this is a special edition of Crown Royal Whisky and if so, how much it will be worth one day. If Diageo has its way, it could be worth quite a lot indeed someday, since the Crown Royal supplier wants it discontinued.
There very well may be some trademark infringements—but aside from the legal hubbub, let's look at Tennessee Crown Club from a quality standpoint. Folks, this is smooth stuff. In a glass, it displays a magnificent amber hue with warm aromas of flint, fudge and caramel, which give over to a rich and invigorating palate that consists of cherries and cream with a long, smooth, oak-aged caramel corn finish. It stands up well to Crown Royal, displaying typical characteristics of the best Canadian whiskies: It's very light, easy to drink and maintains 40 percent alcohol content (80 proof). Enjoy Tennessee Crown (while you still can) straight or on the rocks, with club soda, Sprite, Red Bull, or try a Tennessee Crown Club Snapper: amaretto, Crown Club and grenadine, shaken with ice, then strained into a martini glass with a cherry. Tennessee Crown Club is available at Riley's. Cheers.