StateWays is the only magazine exclusively covering the control state system within the beverage alcohol industry, with annual updates from liquor control commissions and alcohol control boards and yearly fiscal reporting from control jurisdictions
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Crown Royal, the leading Canadian whisky in the U.S., features an impressive portfolio; its latest entry is Crown Royal Maple Finished, the brand's first flavored offering. It also released its second addition to its Extra Rare Whisky Series last June (Crown Royal XR). with the heritage and history of Canadian whiskies, they should help fuel category growth. Made from Maple he maple leaf is synonymous with Canada—it's the national symbol, it's centered on the country's flag, it's the name of a National Hockey League team, the Toronto Maple Leafs. It's a part of Canada. So it's only natural that maple would be incorporated into a Canadian spirit. Crown Royal has established itself as the leading Canadian whisky in the U.S., and it continues to innovate and introduce new blends. "Crown Royal is always looking for opportunities to create innovative new whisky offerings," Briese says. In November, Crown Royal introduced Crown Royal Maple Finished, its first venture into the fast-growing flavored whisky category. "Extensive consumer research identified a need within the Canadian whisky category for a high-quality flavored whisky from a trusted, well-known and well-respected brand," she says. "Maple was the perfect place for us to enter the category." To create the product, the legendary T StateWays I www.stateways.com I January/February 2013 taste of Crown Royal is blended with natural maple flavor and finished with a run through maple tasted oak. Beyond the signature bottle Crown Royal is recognized for, the 80 proof Maple Finished has packaging that reflects the amber- and topaz-hued end product: copper and auburn colors are incorporated into the maple-leaf emblazoned label, and the bottle is paired with a gold-accented, brown version of the iconic bag. The 750 ml bottle has as suggested retail price of $24.99 and is available nationwide. Additionally, this past June, Crown Royal released Crown Royal XR, its second variant to its Extra Rare Whisky Series, which features blends made from a batch of rare whiskies. Made from the LaSalle Distillery's remaining whiskies, the spirit's taste blends dried fruits and honey with Canadian rye. The last time Crown Royal released an extra rare whisky was the 2006 inaugural installment crafted from Waterloo Distillery whiskies. With six years between releases, a limited run, and signature packaging, XR carries a suggested retail price of $129.99 for the 750 ml bottle. Still, Crown Royal Maple Finished is not Diageo's only flavored Canadian whisky. The quieter cousin to Crown Royal, Seagram's 7, already had Dark Honey and Stone Cherry flavors in the market. And Crown Royal doesn't have the market's only maple-flavored Canadian whisky. Imported by Van Gogh Imports, TAP 357 is a small-batch maple-flavored Canadian rye whisky that became available in February 2012. The brand's Canadian heritage and artisanal roots are showcased in the label's hand-drawn illustration. The 750 ml bottle, a cork-finished bottle produced by Bruni Glass Company, retails for $29.99. Meanwhile, Brown-Forman's high-end Collingwood, the hand-crafted, toasted maplewood mellowed Canadian whisky was released in 2011. "Collingwood has struck a chord with consumers for the smooth taste that comes from that secondary Maplewood mellowing process," says Pedro Berrueco, senior brand manager of Canadian Whiskies at BrownForman. Brown-Forman's Canadian whisky offerings include Collingwood, a newer high-end whisky, as well as the high-volume Canadian Mist, with its richer-tasting line extension, Canadian Mist Black Diamond. 29