Crown Royal

Crown Royal was introduced in 1939 by Samuel Bronfman's Seagram company, marking the royal visit to Canada of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. It became one of the best-known Canadian whiskies, recognisable by its crown-shaped bottle and purple cloth bag. Diageo has owned the brand since buying Seagram's drinks business in the early 2000s.

The whisky is distilled at Gimli, Manitoba, on the shore of Lake Winnipeg. In the Canadian way, many separate whiskies are made from different grains and in different stills, then aged and blended. Blending and bottling take place in Ontario.

The core Canadian Whisky, often sold in litre bottles, is a soft, easy blend. Black is a richer, bolder version, and Northern Harvest Rye is built mainly on rye for a spicier profile. XR Extra Rare - Waterloo includes whisky from the closed Seagram distillery in Waterloo, Ontario.

The range also includes flavoured whiskies such as Vanilla, Peach and Chocolate. These are flavoured spirit drinks rather than straight whisky, and are aimed at mixing and casual drinking.