Whisky fun facts

Whisky has a long history in Waterloo, and our collection holds many unique bottles. Explore these fun facts to learn how to date an old bottle, tell if it’s safe to drink, and uncover some Crown Royal history.

On this page

1. Learn about our whisky history
2. How do you spell whisky
3. Determine a whisky bottle’s value
4. How to tell if your whisky is safe to drink
5. Date an unopened bottle of whisky
6. Date a bottle of Crown Royal
7. Explore bottles from our collection

Learn about our whisky history

Learn more about local whisky from our virtual exhibits: 

That’s the Spirit: Short description of this exhibit.

Integrity, Craftsmanship, Tradition: The History of the Seagram Plant in Waterloo: Short description of this exhibit

How do you spell whisky

In some countries, like Canada, Scotland, and Japan, whisky is spelled without an “e”. Other countries, like the United States and Ireland, more commonly spell it with an “e” as in “whiskey”.

Determine a whisky bottle’s value

A whisky bottle’s value depends on its age and condition. To learn more, check:

• Kovels antique collectables pricing
• Ebay
• Collectors Weekly whisky bottle auctions
• Canadian Trademark database

Your local library may also have useful books on the subject.

How to tell if your whisky is safe to drink

Before opening your bottle of whisky, you need to visually examine it for clarity and quantity. Whisky, unlike wine, does not mature in the bottle. It reaches peak quality when it leaves the barrel.

Under normal storage conditions, whisky keeps for many years. Over time, however, quality can decline. Even sealed bottles slowly lose flavour as the cap liner dries and whisky evaporater.

Check your bottle before drinking:

• look for clarity and consistent volume
• avoid bottles with cloudiness or visible evaporation

If you notice either, your whisky may be past its prime.

Date an unopened bottle of whisky

The year on an excise, or tax, sticker is not the bottling year. It marks when the first whisky in the blend was placed in a barrel. By Canadian law, whisky must age for at least 3 years.

For example:

• an excise label marked 1935 means the whisky reached stores in 1938
• if the bottle says the whisky was aged 6 years, add 6 years to the excise date

Date a bottle of Crown Royal

Since 1939, Crown Royal bottles and labels have changed many times. These details can help date your bottle:

• to start: the name “Waterloo” continued to appear on its label until the early 21st century although the Seagram Distillery closed in 1992
• early 1950s: bottle cap colour changed from black to purple; whisky ages adjusted from 35/10 years to 30/9 years
• 1950s–1960s: ages of oldest and youngest whiskies added to back label
• 1970s: age information removed from back label
• 1977: metric measurements added to front label
• early 1980s: government health warning added to back label
• 1981: “Seagram’s” removed from front label; neckband with single crown and a handle added to 1.75 L bottles
• 1993: curtain and crown jewels enhanced; lion and unicorn removed; multiple crowns added to neckband
• 2000: brand sold to Diageo; production moved to Gimli, Manitoba; bottling and blending moved to Amherstburg, Ontario
• 2012: Crown Royal XR (Red) released, using the final batch from the Waterloo Distillery — rare and no longer in production

The earliest example of Crown Royal in our collection dates to the late 1940s. Of the 1,200 bottles of Crown Royal originally produced in 1939, only one privately owned example is known to exist.