Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye 'far from' best in world, says Calgary whisky expert

Some eyebrows are being raised over Jim Murray's deep love for a particular variety ofCanadian whisky.

The author of the Whisky Bible recently proclaimed that Crown Royal Northern Harvest, made in Gimli, Man., isthe best whisky of the year.

• Gimli's Crown Royal produces World Whisky of the Year
• Scotland snubbed, as Canadian whisky named best in the world

"The nose, actually in the [Whisky] Bible, gets 25 out of 25 which is extremely rare to get top marks just for the aroma," Murray told CBC Radio's As It Happens on Friday.

But a Calgarywhisky expert wonders if Murray's praise for theCanadian whisky isjust a marketing ploy.

"What this is an example ofto me, is somebody who is trying to get attention for himself and for his book, so he makes what he knows is a very controversial choice," said Andrew Ferguson, owner of the Kensington Wine Market.

Controversial, because whisky purists especially in Scotland turn their noses up at Canadian rye.

"It's called snobbery," said Murray."People automatically think, if it's not single malt scotch, it can't be good."

Murray told As It Happenscrowning a Canadian whisky best in show wasactually terrible marketing andfigures it will pushScottish distilleries to stop stockinghis book.

"When I told my head of sales and marketing that it was a Canadian whisky his hands justcovered his head and he shook his head and said. 'Well that's it. We're going to lose massive amounts of sales.'"

'Far from' the best

By no means doesFergusonthink the Crown Royal Northern Harvestis bad, but in his opinion, itis "far from"the best whisky in the world.

"There's a lot of critics out there and I think what I don't like about it is driving sales on one person's opinion," he said.

Ferguson describes the whisky as"very oily and spicy"and not something you'd want to use to make a rye and coke.

"It's made to be drunk neat and to have character."

Flying off shelves

Sales have spiked forCrown Royal Northern Harvest since Murray named it the2016 World Whisky of the Year.In fact, Ferguson says it hasalready sold out in Alberta at the distribution level.

"Retailers who haven't bought any yet will not get it," he said. "We have a little over 100 bottles and most of it's already sold and it's not even in the shop."

Although Ferguson, himself, does not give the nose on the Northern Harvesttop scores he doesn't think that should deter people from giving it a try.

"In my opinion should this be the best whisky in the world? No. Is it very good and should peopleconsider buying it and trying it? Absolutely."