Here are the top Crown Royal cocktails and mixed drinks recipes that make the most of this Canadian whisky.
Got a bottle of Crown? Sure, you can sip on it neat, but in my opinion this Canadian whisky is at its best in mixed drinks. The vanilla, brown sugar and oaky notes of Crown Royal work perfectly in cocktails of all kinds, from classic cocktails to modern mixed drinks.
My favorite is the bright red Royal Flush, a drink developed using Crown itself, or you can use it in the venerable Old Fashioned that’s been mixed up for over 200 years. Whatever your tastes, there’s a Crown Royal drink for you!
Top Crown Royal Cocktails & Mixed Drinks
A popular Crown Royal cocktail? Try the Royal Flush! This fun cocktail pairs sweet tart cranberry with the vanilla, brown sugar and oaky notes of Crown Royal. Add fruity peach schnapps, and it’s an intriguing way to drink your whisky! It’s interesting and sophisticated, not overly sweet.
Ingredients: Crown Royal whisky, cranberry juice, peach schnapps
Want to jazz up your standard whiskey sour? Try the Crown Royal Sour! Crown lends vanilla and caramel notes to this sweet tart drink. This classic cocktail is the perfect way to use this whisky.
Ingredients: Crown Royal whisky, lemon juice, simple syrup
Here’s a refreshing way to drink your Crown Royal: the classic Whiskey Highball! This two-ingredient cocktail originated around the turn of the 20th century and it’s still popular to this day. Why? It’s so easy to make: no cocktail shakers or fancy ingredients required! It’s an intriguing way to enjoy the flavors in a sip of whisky.
Ingredients: Crown Royal whisky, soda water
Got a bottle of Crown Royal whisky? Here’s the easiest way to make it into a cocktail: make Crown and Coke! This variation on the popular rum and coke might sound simple, but it tastes even better than the sum of its parts. The sweet caramel of cola is a fitting match for Crown Royal with its vanilla, brown sugar and oaky notes.
Ingredients: Crown Royal whisky, cola
Here’s a refreshing Crown Royal cocktail: meet the Crown Mule! This spin on the classic Moscow Mule is bubbly and bright, with a spicy whiskey finish. It couldn’t be easier: all you do is pour 3 ingredients into a glass.
Ingredients: Crown Royal whisky, ginger beer, lime
The whiskey smash dates back to at least the 1880’s! It was listed in a bartender guide published in 1887. So you can imagine people in the Victorian times guzzling down this drink! It’s a fantastic Crown Royal cocktail made with lemon, mint, whiskey, and sweetener, and served with crushed ice.
Ingredients: Crown Royal whisky, lemon, mint, simple syrup
The Old Fashioned is barely a cocktail at all: just lightly sweetened booze seasoned with bitters. This classic dates back to the early 1800’s, before the words classic and cocktail were even said next to each other. The recipe is pretty standard, but it's a new spin made with Crown Royal!
Ingredients: Crown Royal whisky, sugar, bitters
Here’s a classic combination that makes one of the easiest cocktails…ever. Crown Royal and Ginger All! Whisky and ginger ale are the perfect pair: the spicy notes of the liquor meld into the subtle sweet and bubbly notes of the ale. Add a squeeze of lime and a big ice cube, and you’re in business!
Another great Crown Royal mixed drink? The Manhattan! This classic cocktail goes all the way back to the 1870’s. It’s a three ingredient cocktail, but there’s so much going on in one sip! Vanilla, oak and caramel notes from the Crown, sweet and spicy from the vermouth, and bitter and herby from the bitters.
Ingredients: Crown Royal whisky, sweet red vermouth, orange bitters
Last up in our Crown Royal cocktails: the Gold Rush! This modern spin on the whiskey sour uses honey syrup instead of simple syrup, and was invented in the mid-2000’s in New York City. The honey gives this cocktail a depth and richness that simple syrup lacks.
Ingredients: Crown Royal whisky, lemon juice, honey syrup
About Crown Royal whiskey
Crown Royal is a Canadian whisky introduced in 1939 as a tribute to the royal tour of Canada of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. It was available only in Canada until 1964, then introduced in the US in the 1960’s. Some people consider Canadian whisky at the lower strata of the whiskey world, but it’s very popular and can make a mean drink.
There are many varieties of Crown Royal whisky, including:
- Signature series: Deluxe, Rye, Black, Blender’s Mash
- Master series: XR, XO, Reserve, Wine Barrel Finish
- Flavor series: Apple, Vanilla, Peach, Salted Caramel
- Retired: XR (Red), Honey, Cornerstone, Maple, Texas Mesquite
More cocktail recipes
There are so many cocktails to try outside of these orange bitters drinks! Here are 300+ cocktail recipes for every occasion:
- Classics: Try Classic Cocktails or Great Cocktail Recipes.
- Easy: These Easy Mixed Drinks and Cheap Drinks have just 2 to 3 ingredients.
- Fancy: Opt for the best in Craft Cocktails.
- The Big 5: Try all our cocktails with Gin, Vodka, Whiskey, Tequila or Rum.
- Fall Drinks: Try Fantastic Fall Drinks or Fall Cocktails for the Season.
salted carnal should be sold all year it is so good. With it all year new drinks can be discovered and we will use more. It will work trust me.
I love Crown Royal cocktails! They are always a great way to enjoy a night out with friends.
I looked some quick idea to enjoy Crown Royal whisky and found your Simple and easy receipies of making a cocktail with it. Found it useful and cannot wait to try out. Thank both of you for your excellent Presentations! Cheers
Getting tired of crown and raspberry cranberry and water with a splash of syrup, I don’t drink soda pop. Just wondering what I can mix with crown royal to spice things up
The Royal Pom – mix with pomegranate juice
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