Seagram's Crown Royal Bottles

1939 to 2000

Crown Royal is possibly the most well-known whisky brand ever produced by Distillers Corporation-Seagrams Limited. Initially created as a gift for the British Royal Family to celebrate their visit to Canada in 1939, the rarity and significant age of the whisky used in the blend made it extremely popular and valuable.

The labelling and packaging for Crown Royal have changed since the brand’s inception, although not as dramatically as other brands. The caps’ colour changed from black to purple and finally to gold in the 1970s. In 1993, the colour of the curtains and crown jewels were enhanced, and the lion and unicorn supporting the crown were removed. Also that year, a neck label with multiple crowns replaced one with a single crown. By the turn of the 21st century, Diageo purchased the brand and changed the label, replacing “Joseph E. Seagram & Sons. Limited. Waterloo. Ontario. Canada” with “The Crown Royal Distilling Company. Toronto. Ontario. Canada”.

While Crown Royal became a famous Canadian brand, sales in the United States did not begin until 1963, when enough stockpile had been acquired to meet the American demand. The Waterloo plant produced the 50ml, 375ml, and 1L Crown Royal for U.S. export.

To learn more about Crown Royal Whisky and the Waterloo Distillery, check out our virtual exhibit Integrity, Craftsmanship, and Tradition. Or, if you want to learn more about the making of Canadian whisky, visit our virtual exhibit That’s The Spirit.

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