I happened across what is to me a new Crown Royal. It is called Crown Royal Black and I suppose it is named for the dark color.........much darker than any other CR whisky.........and it is 90 proof. It is matured in charred oak barrels which I presume to be used bourbon barrels because the label claims it has deep bourbon notes, which it mimics pretty well.
There are hints of molasses, dark cherries, prunes, rye, and leather in the nose. With no proof of such, I suspect this whisky has a mite of caramel syrup in it.........maybe Gary Gillman knows? Also, I suspect there is more than the normal amount of malt here (but what, you ask, is normal malt for Canadian whisky?......I don't know) because the sweetness seems malty to my palate.
The taste is good with soft malty sweetness along with the molasses, cherries, and prunes, and, the usual Canadian rye spice to warm the mid palate nicely. The 90 proof gives it more robustness and more length in the finish.
I paid $23 for this whisky and find it quite nice and priced about right. I expect to use it for the occasional sip and as a blending agent with other whiskies. I have it in mind to work some of it with the high proof Stagg's or other barrel proof bourbons to soften them slightly.