The Crown Royal Rig Tour raises spirits in Manitoba
From Winnipeg to the home of the Crown Royal distillery in Gimli, the Royal Rig is inspiring fans to give back to their communities
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This March, Manitobans enjoyed the royal treatment from a local legend when the Crown Royal Rig, an eye-catching purple 18-wheeler, led three days of celebrations throughout the province.
Honouring Canada’s No. 1 whisky, the big rig and its giant whisky barrel-inspired payload first launched a tailgate party for the ages at True North Square in the heart of Winnipeg on March 25.
With the hometown Jets playing the Washington Capitals at the arena across the street, fans were able to take selfies with the 18-wheeler, sample Crown Royal cocktails and enter for prizes while getting excited for the game.
On March 26, the rig rolled up the west side of Lake Winnipeg to Gimli, Man., as a toast to the spot where the legendary whisky is distilled. Originally crafted for the king and queen in 1939, Gimli has proudly been the home of Crown Royal Distillery since the early 1990s. It’s here, located just off the shores of Lake Winnipeg, that an incredible team of 80 men and women distill, age and blend the Crown Royal family of award winning whiskies while managing an inventory of roughly 1.7 million barrels.
Every drop of Crown Royal Canadian whisky is crafted from resilient natural ingredients that were born to weather the challenging Canadian conditions — the hearty ingredients are carefully combined with the distinctively smooth water that is naturally filtered through the limestone beneath Lake Winnipeg.
After a visit with the team at the Crown Royal distillery, the Royal Rig set up at the Gimli Recreation Centre as a way to honour and celebrate the community and its members.
“The people of Gimli have helped shape Crown Royal into a whisky that radiates warmth, authenticity and true Canadian spirit,” said Nadia Niccoli, head of marketing for Diageo Canada, the Canadian arm of the company that owns several top spirits brands, including Crown Royal.
From Gimli, the rig roared back to Winnipeg to raise the spirits of music lovers heading to see multi-platinum country music artist, and Crown Royalpartner, Kane Brown perform as part of his The High Road Tour. Fans and whisky lovers alike were able to bond together while enjoying samples and taking in the magical moments.
But the tour was about more than celebrating an internationally recognized brand. It was also about giving back. At each stop, visitors brought donations of non-perishable food items and helped pack donation boxes that were given to Harvest Manitoba, a non-profit food bank network, to directly support Manitoban families facing food insecurity. In total, more than 9,000 pounds of food was packaged.
“We are very grateful to Crown Royal for their support. Their partnership is helping us make a meaningful impact in our community, ensuring that those in need have access to food and resources,” said Vince Barletta, president and CEO of Harvest Manitoba.
“The Crown Royal Rig tour not only raised awareness for our mission here at Harvest Manitoba, but it also encouraged the local community to come together and make a real difference.”
The legend of Crown Royal itself is built on the idea of generosity. Canadian distiller Sam Bronfman painstakingly perfected an extremely special blend to present as a gift to King George VI and
Queen Elizabeth during their royal tour in Canada in 1939. Since then, the whisky has become a beacon of Canadian heritage and values, with a focus on acts of generosity. Indeed, acts of kindness are at the heart of the brand’smission: Crown Royal live generously and life will treat you royally.
Jesse Pollock, host of the BarDown Podcast and a proud Manitoban, appreciated the goals of the tour and happily lent a hand.
“This province holds a very special place in my heart, and it’s amazing to see a brand like Crown Royal celebrate not just its Canadian roots, but also the communities that make Manitoba so unique,” said Pollock.
Niccoli was heartened by the warm welcome the Royal Rig Tour received from enthusiastic and caring Manitobans.
“Our time in Manitoba was filled with unforgettable moments that brought the community together in celebration,” said Niccoli. “These three stops allowed us to connect with Manitobans directly, celebrate the communities that have shaped us, and leave a lasting impact beyond the events themselves.”
To learn more about the whisky with the smooth, elegant flavour and its Canadian heritage, visit crownroyal.ca.
This story was created by Content Works, Postmedia’s commercial content division, on behalf of Crown Royal.
