Crown Royal Commemorates 75th Anniversary with Limited Edition Blend

GIMLI, Manitoba, June 12, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- In 1939 the Royal Couple, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, made history when they became the first reigning monarchs to journey across North America, traveling the vast distance by train.

Upon hearing the historic news, a Canadian entrepreneur set out to craft a whisky suited for the pair. With perfection on his mind, he sampled over 600 blends and reviewed hundreds of different types of glass, labels and caps, before cloaking the final product in a purple bag to represent the purple robe of royalty and, fittingly, calling the whisky blend Crown Royal. The train carrying the couple was stocked with 10 cases of the exquisite blend. Rumors of the unrivaled Canadian Whisky quickly spread and Crown Royal was officially born.

75 years later, Master Blender Andrew MacKay has created an exceptionally smooth limited edition whisky to commemorate the brand's monumental anniversary and celebrate the illustrious Crown Royal blending tradition. Crown Royal Monarch 75th Anniversary Blend combines hand-picked whiskies from the brand's extensive stock, including a special whisky from the historic Coffey rye still, residing in Gimli, Manitoba Canada.

Rich with history, and carrying notes of the Coffey rye that continues to define the signature taste of Crown Royal whisky, Crown Royal Monarch 75th Anniversary Blend is deliciously balanced with vanilla, caramel, dried fruits, and deep rich toffee, with soft spice and a long, warm finish.

"Crown Royal was originally created for royalty, crafted over time and the fact that the whisky is still being enjoyed 75 years later is really special to all of us at Crown Royal," said MacKay. "We're excited to share this special limited edition blend with consumers and look forward to celebrating many more years of unmatched whisky."

Crown Royal Monarch 75th Anniversary Blend is encased in a regal gold and silver carton with a magnetic enclosure. The unique silver embroidered bag with gold accents is a variation on the purple bag consumers have grown to know and love. The elegant bottle, which is taller and broader than Crown Royal Deluxe, displays etched detailing and a unique gold crown cap.

Best enjoyed neat or on the rocks, Crown Royal Monarch 75th Anniversary Blend is an 80 proof (40% ABV) variant that will be sold at a suggested retail price of $75 for a 750 ml bottle. The brand will release a limited amount of bottles of Crown Royal Monarch 75th Anniversary Blend, each of which will be individually numbered.

As consumers across the country join Crown Royal in celebrating 75 years of crafting extraordinary whisky, the brand reminds them to please drink responsibly.

About Crown Royal

Crown Royal Canadian whisky is the number one selling Canadian whisky brand in the US by value and has a tradition as long and distinctive as its taste. Specially blended to commemorate a grand tour of Canada made by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain in 1939, Crown Royal Canadian whisky's smooth, elegant style reflects its aristocratic origins and is considered the epitome of Canadian whisky. For more information visit www.crownroyal.com. Crown Royal encourages all consumers to please enjoy responsibly.

About Diageo

Diageo (Dee-AH-Gee-O) is the world's leading premium drinks business with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, beer and wine. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, J&B, Windsor, Buchanan's and Bushmills whiskies, Smirnoff, Ciroc and Ketel One vodkas, Baileys, Captain Morgan, Tanqueray, Guinness, Beaulieu Vineyard and Sterling Vineyards Wines.

Diageo is a global company, with its products sold in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE). For more information about Diageo, its people, brands, and performance, visit us at Diageo.com. For our global resource that promotes responsible drinking through the sharing of best practice tools, information and initiatives, visit DRINKiQ.com.