Posts tagged Crown Royal
Sam Deeds Will Be Honored During Bar Rescue Veteran’s Day Special
If you tune in to SPIKE TV’s Bar Rescue this weekend, you’ll see a great man, Gunnery Sergeant Samuel Deeds. Crown Royal is teaming up with the popular TV show to honor heroes, and Sam will be featured during a special Veteran’s Day marathon airing this Sunday, November 9th beginning at 5 p.m. ET.
Sam will appear in a series of short videos alongside host Jon Taffer, during which he’ll talk about different aspect of his military career; from his time joining the military, to inspiring and guiding other veterans, to what it meant to be honored on a national level through Crown Royal’s “Your Hero’s Name Here” program.
I had the honor of meeting Sam when I was at the Brickyard 400 in Indy a few years back. Deeds was awarded the namesake for the 2013 Brickyard 400. The official title of the race last year was the “Crown Royal Presents the Samuel Deeds 400 at the Brickyard Powered by BigMachineRecords.com.”
Deeds was one of the finalists for the Crown Royal “Your Hero’s Name Here” program. Sam was entered into the contest by his wife. Sam risked his own life both in Iraq while in the Marines as well as here in the United States when he was on vacation with his family.
Deeds, like past winners of the “Your Hero’s Name Here” program, had a fun filled weekend at the Brickyard. He rode in the pre-race pace car as well as hand delivered the trophy to winner at Victory Lane. Sam also kissed the bricks, which is one of the great traditions at the Brickyard in Indianapolis.
I was able to ask Sam a few questions about his time in the military and what he was thinking about leading up to the Brickyard last year.
Art Eddy: First off I want to thank you for your heroic service to our great country. While in Iraq, you risked your own life to save others from an improvised explosive device (IED). You had more than 30 surgeries from all the injuries you sustained from the blast. Your bravery goes beyond words. What will you always take with when you reflect on that moment?
Sam Deeds: A body full of shrapnel. I did what every leader should do, sacrifice themselves for their Marines. I made the decision to expose myself to the IED and two Marines are alive because of that. I would not change one thing that happened that night. I’m not a hero, I was doing my job and protecting my Marines.
AE: Even here in the states you saved the lives of three individuals caught in a rip tide off the coast of North Carolina. Tell me a bit about that experience.
SD: On September, 11th 2008 I was on vacation with my family. On that day we were enjoying some time at the beach when we noticed dolphins feeding just off shore. We also noticed woman swimming out toward them. Next the woman started waving her arm frantically. Shortly after that a man dove into the water and started swimming out to her.
We later found out that it was the ladies husband. Now there are two people caught in the rip current. Then another man with a child’s boogey board swam out to the couple and left them with the floatation device. He tried swimming back and got caught in the current as well. I looked around and people were taking video and photos of those who were in trouble and rescue was nowhere to be seen. I grabbed a small rubber raft and went into the water. Just as I got to the last man that entered the water he disappeared. I reached into the water and pulled him onto the raft. We tried to get out of the current but went nowhere.
As rescue arrived they came to me first and I refused rescue. They went to the couple that had been in the water the 
longest and got them to shore. They came back out to me and I refused rescue once again, so they took the man that I pulled out of the water. Finally they came back after me. The couple said that if I would not have refused to be rescued the husband would have drowned. This was all just five weeks after having major abdominal surgery. I had a piece of mesh placed on the inside of my abdominal wall.
AE: That is incredible. Last month you were named the winner of the Crown Royal’s “Your Hero’s Name Here” program. You now will have your name in this year’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at the Brickyard. What was going through your mind when you find out you found that you were the winner of that program?
SD: That it was a dream, it wasn’t really happening. It was a very emotional day. I looked back at the guys that I served with that are no longer with us and thought that there is no better way to honor them. My name may be on the race but this is for all of them.
AE: Well said. Going back to the program how cool was the laying the final brick, engraved with the official race logo, in a ceremonial “Yard of Bricks” at Flagship Park in Erlanger, Kentucky?
SD: It was amazing. There is a permanent fixture that for many generations to come will be able to go to the park and see that someone from their home town had a NASCAR race named in their honor. My children’s, children, children can see that their great grandfather made a difference.
AE: Are you a fan of NASCAR and if so who is your favorite driver?
SD: I’m a huge NASCAR fan. I’ve been watching since the mid-80s. My favorite driver is Dale Earnhardt Sr. These days I like Kevin Harvick because of his passion and drive for the sport and Kurt Busch for all that he does for our military men and women and everything that he does to bring awareness to Post Traumatic Stress and Traumatic Brain Injury.
AE: What are you looking forward to the most during this year’s NASCAR race weekend at the Brickyard 400 in Indianapolis?
SD: The overall behind the scenes experience, meeting the other finalists, presentation of the trophy and of course “Kissing the Bricks”. I’m hoping for a great weekend of racing.
I am so glad that NASCAR and Crown Royal have this program to reward heroes like Sam Deeds. I can’t wait to see Sam’s expression when he is out and about at the Brickyard 400. Plus Deeds and the rest of the NASCAR fans will be able to see great musical acts from the Big Machine Label Group including Justin Moore, Cadillac Three, Cassadee Pope and Dustin Lynch. They all will be performing during the race weekend in Indianapolis.
Nov 7th
Country Music Stars & Crown Royal Honor Heroes After CMA Awards
On one of country music’s biggest nights, country music talent, including Eli Young Band, Florida Georgia Line, and The Band Perry, took a moment to honor troops at Big Machine Label Group’s CMA Awards after-party sponsored by Crown Royal Regal Apple.
Country music artists had the opportunity to give back to U.S. soldiers last night by packing bags with items rarely available overseas such as tablets, earbuds, armbands, music players, etc. The packed bags will be shipped to active duty service men and women overseas with the help from Packages From Home, Crown Royal’s national charity partner.
In addition, guests at the after-party were one of the first in America to taste the new Crown Royal Regal Apple and experience just how “smooth to the core” the whisky really is. Regal Apple is a combination of the renowned taste of Crown Royal whisky infused with natural apple flavors. The unique blend of hand-selected Crown Royal whiskies and natural apple flavors is the perfect balance of robust whiskey notes and crisp apple flavor.
Award show host and country music star, Brad Paisley, also participated in the always entertaining Jimmy Kimmel “3 Ridiculous Questions” segment answering “ridiculous” questions from Kimmel himself while the two toasted with a shot of Crown Royal Regal Apple.
Nov 6th
Crown Royal Gets Regal With A New Apple Whisky
Crown Royal is launching a new offering to the brand’s portfolio called Crown Royal Regal Apple. The second flavored variant to be released, Crown Royal Regal Apple is a combination of the renowned taste of Crown Royal whisky infused with natural apple flavors. The unique blend of hand-selected Crown Royal whiskies and natural apple flavors is the perfect balance of robust whiskey notes and crisp apple flavor.
Perfect for toasting occasions and best served as a chilled shot, Crown Royal Regal Apple is a great way to celebrate an occasion. One reason to celebrate is that we are now into a new NBA season. What team will you toast to? Will it be the “reigning” champion Spurs or the LeBron’s Cavs? No matter what team you will be rooting for make sure you enjoy Crown Royal responsibly.
Here are some tasty drink recipes that are perfect to try out Crown Royal’s new whisky, the Regal Apple.
Candy Apple
1oz Crown Royal Regal Apple
0.5oz Crown Royal Maple Finished
Shake over ice and serve as a shot
Crownberry Apple
1.5oz Crown Royal Regal Apple
4oz Cranberry Juice
Serve in a rocks glass over ice and garnish with apple wedge
Big Apple
1.5oz Crown Royal Regal Apple
1oz sweet Vermouth
1 dash angostura bitters
Shake over ice and serve straight up with cherry garnish
Oct 27th
Capture the Crown 2014
I’ll admit that I’m a city boy. Being born in Massachusetts and living in Los Angeles
will do that to you. I’d go so far as to call myself a Yankee but I’m a Red Sox fan and can’t stomach it. In the northeast you root for professional team sports. You speak quickly and directly and regularly offend others. Distance is measured in minutes, time is currency and watching NASCAR and listening to country music is something that other people do. I do not say things like “y’all”, “race day” or “we have to get to the start line before they wave the green flag”.
At least I didn’t before this week.
Indianapolis isn’t exactly Arkansas but when NASCAR comes to town you’d never know it. Biscuits, gravy and twang for breakfast, smoked meat and greens for lunch. Country music and freedom rock ride the breeze and shirtless men with denim cutoffs are everywhere you look. Had she been there I would have had to restrain my beautiful wife from applying sunscreen to strangers.
I’m not joking.
Yet when the news came down that MANjr founder Chris Stout was unable to attend his 3rd consecutive Crown Royal 400 I leapt at the chance. If you’re even a casual follower of the lifestyle blogosphere you know that this annual event is one of the biggest invites of the year. Cryptic messages and hashtags bounce around twitter for months prior to the race. A #ReignOn here, a #teampurplecup there. Pictures and videos from trackside bubble up from some unlikely sources as dozens of bloggers descend upon the Indy Motor Speedway with fully credentialed hot passes hanging from their necks.
The purpose of this trip is to highlight Crown Royal’s sponsorship of the Brickyard 400. More importantly, Crown Royal’s “Your Hero’s Name Here” contest and winners. Every year Crown Royal holds a nationwide search for an everyday hero in someone’s life. They then name the Brickyard 400 after this person and help them tell their story to the world. This year’s winner was a man named John Wayne Walding. His story is one that deserves to be told.
John was a Green Beret. He fought in Iraq and then returned to combat duty in Afghanistan for another campaign. His medal chest holds a Silver Star, a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart. Should be enough, right? Not quite. While being a total bad ass in Shok Valley, Afghanistan, John took a snipers bullet to his leg with such force that it severed his leg below the knee.
Damn.
John proceeded to tie his severed leg to his thigh and return fire for over 4 hours before he and his unit were extracted.
You got that right. Instead of laying on the ground and clutching at the space where his leg once was John tied his leg to his thigh and continued firing at the enemy for over 4 hours.
John’s heroism doesn’t stop there. Upon rescue and rehabilitation, John took his prosthetic leg and graduated from Special Forces Sniper School. He hand cycled the Boston Marathon in under two hours.
Did I mention he was born on the 4th of July?
John proceeded to start a rifle manufacturing company in Texas that hires wounded veterans and become an advocate for veterans with PTSD.
After seeing this man in action I came away impressed by more than a list of his achievements. John is a funny and generous man. His charisma and authenticity was on full display and he carried the day with grace and humility. A fine and worthy choice by Crown Royal as a hero among us.
The Race? As in the annual scavenger hunt and race I had been invited to attend? Well #TeamHailey was pretty stacked. We won the first challenge on the strength of Z Smith’s extensive NASCAR knowledge and finished second in the next thanks to DJ Foothill and Victor Macias leading us on a half mile jog back to the cart. So much for sitting behind a keyboard in safety, this years Capture the Crown was full contact. Don’t buy it? Ask Katherine Fotinos about her run in with a moving golf cart. By the time we were eliminated I was grateful for the rest.
Ohhh… that race. Right. Well now that I’m this big time NASCAR reporter I can tell you that Jeff Gordon won for the fifth time at the Brickyard, overtaking Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kasey Kahne on a restart with 17 laps to go. The visibly pumped Gordon later said that winning the race was “as good as it gets”. He lingered over the traditional kiss of the brick finish line with his family and seemed to relish the moment. The day itself was blessed by weather as violent thunderstorms spared the region. The sun even poked it’s head out for a spell.
A successful trip to say the least. Good times, great people and all the Crown Royal I could drink.
Responsibly of course.
Got a hero of your own to nominate? Keep your eye on MANjr for information on next years “Your Hero’s Name Here” contest.
Jul 30th
Capture the Crown
It’s July, it’s Indianapolis, it must be Capture the Crown time again!
Follow our exploits as we traipse around Indianapolis for the Crown Royal Presents the John Wayne Walding 400 at the Brickyard Powered by BigMachineRecords.com.
Say that all in one breath.
Lot of words. Let’s break it down. Brickyard 400, huge NASCAR race. John Wayne Walding, American hero. Crown Royal? Awesome drinking whisky. BigMachine Records.com? Sure why not, they paid for it.
I’ll be looking to reclaim the throne for MANjr founder and 2012 winner Chris Stout. What is this throne we speak of? The annual hub of all social media? The scavenger hunt to end all scavenger hunts? Check @manjrcom, #JWW400 and #ReignOn all weekend for some super VIP access to the race and the weekend’s festivities. Big prizes for winners the last few years and we’ll need that MANjr reader karma to pull it off again.
Wait? John Wayne? That John Wayne? No. Ten times better. John Wayne Walding is man who’s heroic actions on and off the battlefield remind us all of what kind of man we can all aspire to be. Sip on a few of Stouty’s original “Five Toes Texas Cooler” during the race and raise your glass to an American Hero, Mr. John Wayne Walding.
Jul 25th
Custom Crown Royal Cocktail – The Five Toes Texas Cooler
Crown Royal is honoring another hero at this year’s Brickyard 400, and like previous recipients of the “Your Hero’s Name Here” program, this year’s honoree is quite deserving of the recognition he’ll receive next month on race day in Indy.
John Wayne Walding is a Green Beret who served our country for 12 years and completed tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. In 2008, during a mission to capture a high value target, Walding was involved in a firefight and lost part of his right leg. Walding went on to become the first amputee to graduate from the Special Forces Sniper School. This father of four, who was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Combat Infantry Badge, continues to serve his country. Walding is the founder of Five Toes Custom, an organization the employs wounded veterans in an effort to provide these vets with positive direction and ongoing support.
In honor of Mr. Walding, we’ve created a custom Crown Royal cocktail recipe and a toast to celebrate the man whose name will be featured at the top of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for Crown Royal Presents John Wayne Walding 400 at the Brickyard Powered by BigMachineRecords.com.
The Five Toes Texas Cooler
Ingredients:
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed red grapefruit juice
- 1/2 ounce simple syrup
- 2 slices of cucumber, plus 1 thin slice for garnish
- 4 dashes of Angostura bitters
- 2 ounces of Crown Royal Black
- Ice
In a cocktail shaker, muddle the 2 cucumber slices. Add ice and all of the ingredients except the garnish. Shake well and strain into an ice-filled glass. Garnish with one thin cucumber slice.
And here’s the toast:
Life can be bitter and life can be sweet,
But some people know how to handle the heat.
We are all in agreement, we have a consensus,
So let’s raise a glass to our hero from Texas.
Let’s toast to his courage, his sacrifice, his ongoing service,
With a custom cocktail that won’t make you nervous.
It’s got red grapefruit from our hero’s home state,
Crown Royal Black, bitters and simple syrup for taste.
It’s called the Five Toes Texas Cooler,
And features quality ingredients, five in number.
And with this drink, we toast our hero of the hour,
John Wayne, you are cooler than a cucumber!
Jun 23rd
Get Your World Cup Drink On
Every four years when soccer takes to its biggest stage, one group of teams stands out as having the fiercest, most intense competition in the big tournament. Known as the “Group of Death,” the talent among these four squads is often so overwhelming that it becomes impossible to predict its outcome.
This year, the USA is part of this group. Since it will inevitably be an exhilarating ride throughout the tournament, we wanted to provide you and your readers with some fun and easy cocktails with a twist to enjoy while they cheer on the Red, White and Blue! The twist? Each of the cocktails listed is unique to one of the Group of Death teams.
Below are the cocktail recipes to enjoy responsibly when you are watching the World Cup!
Black, Red and Whisky- Germany
1.5 oz. George Dickel No. 8
1/2 oz. orange juice
1/2 oz. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 oz. homemade grenadine
Instructions: Pour ingredients into Shaker with ice. Shake and strain into Coupe glass.
Stars & Strikers- USA
1.5 oz. CAPTAIN MORGAN WHITE RUM
2 oz. cranberry juice
2 oz. orange juice
Instructions: In a shaker half filled with ice, add CAPTAIN MORGAN WHITE RUM, cranberry juice, and orange juice. Shake well and strain into highball glass filled with ice. Garnish with lime.
The Black Star- Ghana
1.25oz Crown Royal XO
.25oz Dry Curacao
.25oz Lime Juice
Bar spoon kumquat cordial
The Shield
1.3 oz. Bulleit Bourbon
1 oz. Orange juice
1 oz. Lemon juice
½ oz. Simple Syrup
½ oz. amaretto
Instructions: Garnish: orange & cherry. Shake ingredients and strain into an ice filled tumbler.
Jun 9th
Celebrate World Whisky Day
Saturday, May 17th is a very special day. It is a day to celebrate the spirit of whisky. That Saturday is known as World Whisky Day. Now more than ever with the growing popularity of whisky, this day becomes more relevant each year. Whether it’s enjoying the liquid on the rocks or mixing it in a classic or modern cocktail, fans are continually finding ways to incorporate whisky into their drinks. Plus here is a little fun fact for you! Whisky consumption has risen 5% in the last year.
With that said, we wanted to share some of the best whiskies and cocktails for you to enjoy on the day of whisky appreciation. From Bulleit Rye Manhattans to the Manitoba you will find a great cocktail recipe below. Looking for a great cocktail for the summer, try the No. 1 Cooler.
So to those who will celebrate with us on World Whisky Day we say, “Cheers!” And as always please enjoy responsibly.
Manitoba
1.5 oz. Crown Royal Maple Whisky
.75 oz. Lemon Juice
.5 oz. Simple Syrup
Top with Ginger Beer
Directions: Shake & strain into a highball glass. Garnish with a lemon wedge.
Bulleit Rye Manhattan
1 oz. Bulleit Rye
.5 oz. Sweet Vermouth
3 dashes of Aromatic Bitters
Directions: Strain into a rocks glass. Garnish with a cherry.
No. 1 Cooler
1.5 oz. George Dickel No. 1
.75 oz. Lime Juice
.75 oz. Simple Syrup
3 Slices of Cucumbers
6 Mint leaves
Pinch of Salt
Directions: Stir all ingredients and strain into old fashioned glass over ice. Finish with mint leaves and pinch of salt.
George Dickel Rye
George Dickel Rye is a straight rye small-batch whisky, offering a 95% rye mash whiskey. Perfect for cocktails like the Old Fashioned and Manhattan. 90 proof, Suggested Retail Price $24.99.
May 6th
Top Ten NBA Plays of the Year
The NBA Playoffs are now in full swing. The regular season is done, but there have been some memorable plays. The NBA and Crown Royal have put together the best of the best plays from this year. From sensational dunks to great defensive stops here they are! Which one is your favorite?
Sit back and watch the plays that make us love this game! While watching the playoffs hopefully my Chicago Bulls will be able to #ReignOn!
Apr 21st
Crown Royal XO Review
Earlier this year, Crown Royal welcomed a new spirit to the family. You already know the classic Crown. The original Crown Royal DeLuxe is still a favorite. Maybe you’ve sampled the sweetness of Crown Royal Maple Finished or taken in the fullness of Crown Royal Black and Crown Royal Reserve. If you’re really lucky, you’ve savored the liquid dream that is Crown Royal XR – that rarest of rare Crown blends that includes the final batch of whiskies from the now-closed LaSalle Distillery in Montreal. The exceptionally smooth finish on the XR is well worth the price of a tasting. I highly recommend it.
The new Crown on the block is the Crown Royal XO. It’s not as sweet as the DeLuxe or the Maple and it’s not as impossibly smooth as the XR, but it does have one strong sensation these whiskies do not: spice. The type of spice we’re talking about here isn’t overbearing or anything like that. It’s not like you’re chugging a bottle of Cholula here. But make no mistake, there’s some bite to the XO. It’s a welcoming bite though – a crisp wave of spice that wakes you up without making you cry.
Maybe it’s the blend of more than 50 different Crown Royal whiskies. Maybe it’s the fact that XO is finished in cognac casks from the French Limousin Forest. I’m not sure what gives XO its bite, but I think that the feature that sets it apart from the rest of the Crown family.
Other folks have talked about the smoothness and vanilla undertones and hints or dried fruit and so forth, but that’s not what I think of when I try this whiskey. I think of that spicy bite, and I like it.
Mar 25th
