How To Make Crown Black From Crown Royal

Well as many of my old friends know I am favorable to Crown Royal.  I like it straight on the rocks, neat or even a shot. I like my Crown with Coke, 7up, Diet Coke, even store brand cola. It has almost always been the liquor I would order when I went out to a club, bar or restaurant if I wasn’t just drinking a beer. I have always like the little purple bag they put the bottle in when you get it from the liquor store too.  Not to mention I have more than my share of the drink glasses they always include in the gift box around Christmas. (They make great Christmas gifts by the way).

I never really cared to much for a lot of sweetness in my whiskey so when they came out with the Maple Finished Crown Royal I tried it but I wasn’t that crazy about it.

I will tell you that the Crown XR, Crown Reserve and Crown Black have found favor on my palette.  The Crown Black being one of my favorites is 90 proof and comes in a nice black felt-like bag.

I decided to try to make my own “Crown Black” flavor from my bottle of regular Crown Royal.  Although there is a lower alcohol proof in regular Crown Royal I wanted the bolder oak aged background. I took one of our 1Liter Red Head Oak Barrels and filled it with a fifth of Crown.  Since it was a 1 liter I knew it would age at a faster rate. I also used a new charred oak barrel instead of a previously used barrel. By making this the first batch then I knew the oak barrel char would add the most flavor possible.   This is what you would need to really get the Crown Black flavor in your Crown.

If you try to make Crown Black from your Crown then you will notice a darker, deeper, more robust flavor in your batch within the first 4-6 weeks.  You will be tempted to “taste” it daily or even pull it out of the barrel and drink it all, but try with all your might to delay the gratification and you will be rewarded greatly. If you can save a good portion of your Crown for a good 4-5 months, you will see and taste a difference in the flavor you can be proud of.  If you get thirsty in the meantime for a shot of Crown just keep a bottle on the side to drink from.

By the way if you do like the Maple Crown Royal then I think by adding some honey or maple to your Crown in an oak barrel you can get the same sweet taste they come up with in their bottle.  It’s just so much more fun to do it yourself because you know you are drinking something that no one else is. It’s got  your signature on every sweet note.

You can custom order our oak barrels with a heavy char from us if you like (Just call me for custom orders – 214-549-5116).