Crown Royal, Canadian purveyors of one of the most well-known whiskeys in the world,went way, way south of its homeland for its newest expression. Crown Royal Texas Mesquite, released earlier this week, sports a smoke-heavy nose and barbecue spice forward first taste, with Crown’s signature smooth vanilla finish. It joins Crown Royal’s Flavor Series line, and echoes Wild Turkey’s new, similarly smoky Longbranch bourbon whiskey. The $25 MSRP bottle is 80 proof and best mixed, not neat. Available in California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Nevada, Tennessee and, yes, Texas.
