12 Best Drinks To Mix With Crown Royal, Ranked
Take a quick stroll through any liquor store, and you'll notice a vast variety of whiskey brands for sale. There's low-cost selections for the budget boozehound, top-shelf options available for the more refined palate, and, well ... everything in between. Frankly, if you're unfamiliar with the intricacies of the widely beloved liquor, such as the different types of whiskey (or whisky, depending on the distillery's location), the whole endeavor can quickly devolve into hysteria — which makes well-known, popular brands like Canadian-made Crown Royal a godsend to consumers.
Of course, the fact that Crown Royal is a true treat certainly helps its cause. The glorious import from the Great White North has been delighting drinkers with its blended varieties since 1939 when it was first developed in honor of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth's visit to Canada that year (via Crown Royal). We've always been partial to the blended whisky's subtle notes of citrusy sweetness — and with nearly 10 million nine-liter cases of Crown Royal sold worldwide in 2021, we're not alone in our admiration.
No matter the drink, Crown Royal will leave you satisfied (and pleasantly sloshed) after a few sips. With that in mind, we decided to rank the 12 best drinks to mix with Crown Royal and proudly present the definitive order of whiskey cocktails elevated by the classic Canadian whisky.
12. Whisky sour
Look, we're never interested in telling someone their personal tastes are somehow incorrect. After all, no one can really control or predict their individual preferences, and beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder. Still, we must say we've never understood how a person could endure (let alone enjoy) a whisky sour since there's no cocktail we find less enjoyable – even if it's mixed with Crown Royal. For that reason, we found the whisky sour to be the worst drink to mix with Crown Royal and ranked it in last place as a result.
Now, as a razor-thin second-place finish in our 2022 whiskey cocktail poll demonstrated, we may be in the minority when it comes to abhorring whisky sours. But sour mix's teeth-rotting, citrus-like sweetness is barely tolerable in our humble estimation and is a strong contender for the worst alcohol mixer that we've ever (personally) encountered. However, even the flavor profile of sour mix is elevated by Crown Royal. In fact, since Crown Royal made for one of the better versions we've tasted, do yourself a favor the next time you mix (or order) one, and opt for the Canadian brand with your whisky sour. As for us? We'll be choosing any of the 11 drinks ranked higher.
11. Hot toddy
We have to admit: Before compiling our list of best drinks to mix with Crown Royal, we weren't aware the hot toddy was a whiskey-based beverage. In fact, for whatever reason, we'd always been under the mistaken impression that the liquor component of this classic wintertime cocktail — served hot, as the name implies — was rum. But as we discovered, a hot toddy's alcoholic content clearly comes from whisky; and while the subtle sweetness of Crown Royal makes it a nice centerpiece for a hot toddy, we can't rank it any higher than second-to-last on this list.
Actually, if we didn't find whisky sours so unpalatable, the hot toddy would've taken the bottom slot in our rankings. We just find something skin-crawlingly off-putting about a warm cocktail — whether it's supposed to be hot, or accidentally (and carelessly) served lukewarm.
Obviously, though, your preference (or tolerance) for non-cold alcoholic beverages may differ from ours. So if you enjoy a nice hot toddy when the temperature outside drops, you'll likely be pleased by the combination of Crown Royal, sugar, and hot water. We just prefer each of the ice-cold drinks ranked above it.
10. Old fashioned
Drinking alcohol has become a hopelessly crass endeavor in the 21st century — unlike the days of yore, when it was considered a sophisticated, highbrow affair. We're kidding, of course. But the temptation to romanticize a time gone by clearly exists when it comes to alcohol, which may in part explain the popularity of the old fashioned. Made with whisky, simple syrup, and bitters, the old fashioned is certainly well-liked (even topping a 2022 reader's poll of whisky cocktails). But having never really enjoyed the added sweetness of an old fashioned, we didn't love it with Crown Royal, either, so it comes in near the bottom.
Of course, since an old fashioned is perfect for someone looking for a whisky cocktail on the sweeter side, according to A Bar Above, that sugary taste we found cloying likely appeals to others. So while we aren't the biggest fans of the cocktail, if you're an old fashioned enthusiast, you'll undoubtedly find Crown Royal a worthy addition.
We actually felt an old fashioned made with Crown Royal tasted shockingly similar to straight Southern Comfort. Now, we know our fair share of monumental SoCo fans, but we prefer real whiskey to the liqueur version. Therefore, while Crown Royal makes a decent old fashioned, the drink itself isn't among our favorites — which explains its third-to-last position.
9. Manhattan
You don't need us to sell you on a Manhattan. Often thought of in conjunction with its fellow well-known whisky cocktail cousin the old fashioned, according to A Bar Above, the Manhattan offers a more complex and sophisticated drink than the stunningly simple (and sugary) old fashioned. Still, while a Manhattan made with Crown Royal doesn't quite resemble a Southern Comfort clone like the old fashioned did, we couldn't avoid the sweet vermouth flavor found in each sip. So it comes in ninth place — and in the bottom half — of our rankings as a result.
Now, while the Crown Royal Manhattan recipe suggests an orange twist garnish, we sampled ours with the more traditional maraschino cherry garnish instead. Frankly, we're glad we did. Somehow, the combination of sweet vermouth, Crown Royal, and cherries wasn't too saccharine, which made the cocktail — and the entire experience — more pleasant than expected.
Unfortunately, regardless of the whisky being used, we're never eager to request a Manhattan. And while we certainly enjoyed it more than the three drinks ranked lower, we simply can't bring ourselves to rank the Manhattan any higher than ninth.
8. Whisky and cola
When someone suggests a whisky and cola, our mind immediately gravitates towards a Jack Daniel's and Coke. In fact, the drink is so popular among U.S. consumers that the two companies joined forces in 2022 to release a pre-made canned Jack and Coke product. But just because Jack Daniel's more often comes to mind when whisky's mixed with cola doesn't mean it's the only brand that works in the standard cocktail. Then again, when we sampled a whisky and cola with Crown Royal, it tasted somewhat like flat cola, which is why it places at number eight in our rankings.
We're sure some of you are wondering why we didn't penalize the whisky and cola for being too sweet, in the same way we dinged the old fashioned, whisky sour, and Manhattan. But there's an easy answer: we utilized diet cola instead of regular, since we don't generally enjoy regular soda — as a beverage, or in our mixed drinks. Perhaps that damaged the cocktail's overall flavor while tasting it, but what can we say? We would've despised it with regular cola (whether it's Coke or Pepsi).
Quite frankly, we still enjoyed the whisky and (diet) cola more than the lower-ranked drinks when mixed with Crown Royal. So if you're looking for a whisky and cola, Crown Royal will leave you smiling — just not as much as the mixed drinks ranked higher.
7. Sazerac
The prospect of tasting a Sazerac mixed with Crown Royal (or any whisky, really) was initially intriguing. After all, the drink's utilization of absinthe is well-known, with recipe developer Christina Musgrave stating the controversial liquor may be the defining quality of the cocktail. Frankly, then, when we discovered a Sazerac only uses absinthe to pre-rinse a glass before preparation, rather than incorporating it as an actual ingredient, it dimmed our exuberance. So while the Sazerac was fine, we have to believe our inaccurate expectations made it a letdown — hence its seventh-place ranking of best drinks to mix with Crown Royal.
Actually, on second thought, we did detect the slightest black licorice note from the absinthe with each sip, indicating the liquor made its mark. But somewhat ironically, that subtle hint of absinthe flavor didn't do the Sazerac any favors, as it simply reminded us we've never particularly enjoyed the taste of absinthe.
Since Crown Royal's Sazerac recipe only contains the slightest amount of orange bitters alongside the whisky (and absinthe-rinsed glass), we can say it was more whisky-forward (in a good way) than the drinks ranked lower. But even a minimalist approach to the absinthe was too much for our liking, meaning it just misses the top half of our rankings.
6. Royal shandy
Everyone knows a shandy is made by mixing beer with a nonalcoholic beverage, particularly some sort of lemon-flavored soda (it's the Merriam-Webster definition, after all). Consequently, the citrus-enhanced (and often lemony) flavors found in a shandy are perfect for those long summer days and nights. Of course, while you could do just fine with a standard shandy, sometimes you want a little more bang for your buck. And the Royal shandy — which combines Crown Royal, lemon juice, and simple syrup with a lager beer — fits that bill, making it the sixth best drink to mix with Crown Royal in our opinion.
We undoubtedly enjoyed the Royal shandy and would absolutely recommend it to anyone interested in a beer-and-whisky beverage. But the fact it tasted surprisingly similar to a Long Island iced tea was a bit of a knock on the cocktail since it wasn't what we expected (or necessarily wanted) from a Crown Royal-centric drink.
Of course, the main reason the Royal shandy ranks at number six is, well ... the five drinks ranked higher simply tasted better. Still, since any combination of lemon and Crown Royal tends to work quite well, the Royal Shandy is a winner — it just couldn't beat the remaining drinks in our assessment.
5. Crown lemonade
As we enter the top five best drinks to mix with Crown Royal, you'll likely notice an emerging pattern. Cocktails that incorporate, or even highlight, citrus flavors dominate the top half of our rankings — with lemon-forward concoctions earning particular praise. Consequently, we're placing the (should be) summertime classic Crown lemonade at number five on our list.
Since we greatly enjoyed Crown lemonade, you may be curious why it's only risen to fifth place. Well, the fact the lemonade almost completely masks the alcohol's presence in the drink is both a boon and a detriment from our standpoint. After all, we're not a 15-year-old who's interested in getting trashed without tasting the alcohol. Quite honestly, when we drink Crown Royal, we want to taste the Crown Royal.
Then again, we clearly recognize that may not be a universal goal for most drinkers and respect the fact that other folks prefer a cocktail that goes down easily. So if you're interested in an alcoholic lemonade, you won't be let down when you mix it with Crown Royal. There's no doubt it belongs among the top five best drinks to mix with the whisky, but it simply can't compete with the top four.
4. Crown Royal press
At this point in our rankings, we'd have to say that the differences between each of the four best Crown Royal cocktails are fairly negligible. No, we don't mean to say each of these cocktails — including the fourth-best drink in our rankings, the Crown Royal whisky press — are indistinguishable taste-wise. But the bottom line is we thoroughly enjoyed (even loved) each of the top four drinks when mixed with Crown Royal. So while the whisky press could've ranked higher, we think it's perfectly situated at number four.
The Crown Royal whisky press (or, simply, the Crown Royal press, as described in a recipe shared by our colleagues at The Daily Meal) is a light and lovely citrus-dominant cocktail. The inclusion of fresh-squeezed lemon juice is perfect for pairing with the classic Crown Royal flavor profile. Additionally, incorporating a mere splash of soda at the end ensures the whisky isn't masked entirely and offers a nice, fizzy finish to the cocktail.
As we noted before, the Crown Royal press could have easily cracked the top three. Still, fourth place is nothing to sneeze at — and this cocktail will always satisfy when mixed with Crown Royal.
3. Whisky Paloma
Before we settled on our rankings for this list, we had a rough idea of which Crown Royal-mixed drinks would end up where. And, for the most part, our taste tests lined up with our preconceived expectations. But one drink blew us away in a manner wholly unexpected, and shot up our list, earning its place as the third-best drink to mix with Crown Royal — while potentially becoming our new favorite warm weather cocktail in the process: the whisky Paloma.
Did we expect the spicy honey and fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice to provide a near-perfect balance in our tumbler glass alongside Crown Royal? Not really, no. But this drink delivered the goods like few cocktails have before and left us wishing we hadn't gone through our purchased grapefruits so quickly.
Additionally, the crushed red pepper and grapefruit wedge garnishes were as aesthetically pleasing as the drink itself was flavorful. We may not prefer the whisky Paloma compared to the top two drinks in our ranking. But if you're looking for a beachside beverage this summer, we'd highly recommend the whisky Paloma mixed with Crown Royal.
2. Highball
We can't imagine the highball's placement as the second best drink to mix with Crown Royal is shocking. After all, if you're ordering a highball with Crown Royal (or a whisky ranch water, as described on the Canadian company's website), you're essentially asking for a slightly watered-down, bubbling version of an on-the-rocks drink. In other words, you'll never be displeased with a highball made with Crown Royal — which is why it's our pick for the second-best drink to mix with the whisky.
According to Bloomberg, there's more to a highball than just whisky and soda water — meaning the cocktail is only worth drinking if it's made with quality whisky. Since we'd classify Crown Royal as such (and would engage in fisticuffs with anyone who disagrees), it's crystal clear why a highball mixed with Crown Royal is a phenomenally satisfying cocktail.
If you'd prefer the highball to any other drinks included on this list (when mixed with Crown Royal, that is), we wouldn't argue. But we would prefer the number-one ranked drink to any other, so the highball has to settle for second place — not that there's any shame in that.
1. On the rocks
If you take issue with our decision to include "on the rocks" among the best drinks to mix with Crown Royal, you can go throw rocks (zing!). After all, as evidenced by the Canadian company offering its own recipe for the drink, we're not the only ones who'd classify the classic booze-and-ice beverage as a legitimate cocktail. And since we can't get enough of Crown Royal's flavor profile, particularly when it's ice cold, we're declaring the simple-yet-satisfying on the rocks as the best drink to mix with Crown Royal.
Perhaps you're unsure why we'd rank Crown Royal on the rocks (and by rocks we "mean ice") as the absolute best drink to mix with the whiskey. But the bottom line is that we love whiskey, and we're never eager to hide the alcohol when imbibing. So while we can wholeheartedly understand (and respect) another person's desire to somewhat dilute the intensity of alcohol to make it easier (and more enjoyable) to drink, for our money, we invite that unadulterated whiskey flavor.
Clearly, we adore Crown Royal as much as, if not more than, any other brand on the market. For those reasons, Crown Royal on the rocks takes the number one spot in our rankings, because you just can't beat the whiskey by itself in our estimation.