As an expert sommelier and brewer, I can confidently say that Crown Royal is not a bourbon or brandy. It is a Canadian whiskey with its own unique characteristics and production methods.
To clarify, bourbon is a type of whiskey that must be made in the United States and meet certain legal requirements. One of these requirements is that it must be made from a mash bill that contains at least 51% corn. Crown Royal's Bourbon Mash, on the other hand, does use a bourbon mash bill with 64% corn, which is the right amount to be considered bourbon if it were made in the United States.
However, the fact that Crown Royal is made in Canada means that it cannot legally be called bourbon. Canadian whiskey has its own set of regulations and standards that differentiate it from bourbon. One key difference is that Canadian whiskey typically undergoes a process called “blending” where different types of whiskies are combined to create the final product. This is different from bourbon, which is typically made from a single grain mash bill.
As for brandy, Crown Royal is not a brandy either. Brandy is a spirit that is distilled from fermented fruit juice, typically grapes. Crown Royal is made from a mash bill of grains, not fruits, so it does not fit the definition of brandy.
Crown Royal is a Canadian whiskey with its own distinct characteristics and production methods. While it uses a bourbon mash bill, it is not legally considered bourbon due to being produced in Canada. It is also not a brandy, as it is not made from fermented fruit juice.