The Ottawa Apple is Canada’s contribution to the Drinking Around the World crawl, and honestly, it punches above its weight. Crown Royal, apple infusion, cranberry juice. I mean, it sounds simple because it is. That’s also why it works.
We finish almost every DATW crawl with this one. It’s fruity without being a sugar bomb, the whiskey is actually present, and it goes down dangerously easy after 10 other countries.
Here’s our honest review, where to find it, and the copycat recipe we make at home between trips.
Jump to RecipeWhat is the Ottawa Apple cocktail?
The Ottawa Apple is EPCOT’s signature drink for the Canada Pavilion. It’s Crown Royal Canadian Whisky, an apple infusion, and cranberry juice. That’s it.
Is it authentically Canadian? About as much as the cheese soup from Le Cellier is. Disney almost certainly invented it to sell more Crown Royal.
But on a hot Florida afternoon when you’re deep into a crawl and need something that tastes good without being sickeningly sweet, this drink delivers.
The apple-cranberry combination is tart and balanced and not fake sweet like some of the other pavilion drinks.
The whiskey is smooth enough that it doesn’t fight back in your mouth, but present enough that you know it’s there. It’s a solid 8 out of 10 drink in a park full of (sometimes) overpriced mediocrity.
One note on Crown Royal Maple: A lot of copycat recipes call for Crown Royal Maple. That version has been retired as far as we can tell. The park uses a neutral apple infusion, not maple whiskey. We’ll cover the best way to replicate that at home in the recipe below.
Where to find it
You can actually get the Ottawa Apple in a couple of different places inside of the Canada Pavilion, and your choice depends on how much time you have
Canada Popcorn Cart (the right choice for most people)
The cart is on the main promenade as you enter from the UK side. Follow the smell of maple popcorn; you literally cannot miss it.
The line is usually short, service is typically pretty fast, and you can grab your drink and find a spot by the water to enjoy the view of the World Showcase Lagoon. Our favorite pick are the benches along the water and under the trees where you can get a bit of (blessed) shade.
The drink comes in a plastic cup. It’s about $15 and it’s the same drink you’d get inside Le Cellier. Since we don’t typically spend a lot of time dining in Table Service restaurants on our EPCOT days, this is where we always get it.
While you’re there, get the maple popcorn. It’s not optional.
Le Cellier Steakhouse (only if you already have a reservation)
Le Cellier is Canada’s table service restaurant. It’s dark, cozy, cellar-like, and has genuinely good food. You can order the Ottawa Apple here in a proper glass, which feels slightly more civilized.
The catch: you need an Advance Dining Reservation, which can be hard to get and commits you to a full expensive meal. Don’t go out of your way just to get the cocktail in a nicer glass. The drink is identical.
Ottawa Apple
Type of Item: Cocktail
Where to Find It: Canada Popcorn Cart, Le Cellier
Average Price: $15.00
Our Rating:
Description: A cocktail made with Crown Royal Canadian Whisky, apple infusion, and cranberry juice.
Why We Love It: Is this an authentic Canadian cocktail? Probably not, but it’s made with Crown Royal CANADIAN whisky and has “Ottawa” in the name—enough to make us feel like honorary Canadians for a moment! It’s fruity, it’s delicious, and it’s a tasty escape into maple leaf vibes.
Ottawa Apple (EPCOT Canada Pavilion Copycat)
Equipment
- Rocks glass or highball glass
- Jigger or measuring shot glass
- Bar spoon or long spoon for stirring
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz Crown Royal Canadian Whisky
- 1 oz sour apple schnapps DeKuyper Sour Apple Pucker works best
- 3 oz cranberry juice 100% cranberry, not cocktail blend
- Ice
- Apple slice for garnish optional
Instructions
- Fill your glass with ice.
- Pour in the Crown Royal.
- Add the sour apple schnapps.
- Top with cranberry juice.
- Stir gently to combine. Do not shake; you’ll water it down.
- Garnish with an apple slice if you want to feel fancy about it.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Why sour apple schnapps and not Crown Royal Maple? Crown Royal Maple has been retired. The park uses a neutral apple infusion. Sour Apple Pucker gives you the same bright, tart apple flavor and is the closest match we’ve found after testing a lot of combinations.
- Too sweet? Cut the schnapps to 0.75 oz and add a small squeeze of fresh lime juice to balance it out.
- Making a batch? Scale to 1 part whisky, 0.75 parts apple schnapps, 2 parts cranberry juice in a pitcher. Stir before serving. Perfect for groups.
- Non-alcoholic version: Replace the Crown Royal and schnapps with 4 oz of Martinelli’s sparkling apple cider and top with cranberry juice. Add a squeeze of lime for tartness.
FAQs
What is the Ottawa Apple at EPCOT made of? Crown Royal Canadian Whisky, apple infusion, and cranberry juice. The park doesn’t publish exact proportions, but our recipe above is the closest match we’ve found.
How much does the Ottawa Apple cost at EPCOT? About $15.00 as of our last visit. Disney prices change frequently, so treat that as a starting point.
Where exactly is the Ottawa Apple in EPCOT? At the Canada Popcorn Cart on the main promenade of the Canada Pavilion, entering from the UK side. Also available at Le Cellier Steakhouse if you have a dining reservation.
Is the Ottawa Apple strong? It’s moderate. The pour is standard Disney; present but not heavy. It’s a good crawl drink because it won’t knock you out before you finish. If you want stronger, make it at home and control your own pour.
Can I use Crown Royal Maple for the recipe? Crown Royal Maple has been retired and is no longer widely available. The park version uses a neutral apple infusion anyway, not maple whiskey. Sour apple schnapps is a better match for the actual park drink.
Is the Ottawa Apple available year-round? Yes. Unlike festival-specific items, this is a permanent menu item at the Canada Popcorn Cart.
Tell Us What You Think
The Ottawa Apple isn’t the flashiest drink on the DATW crawl. It’s not purple, it doesn’t have a chocolate crunch on top, and it won’t get three compliments from strangers like the Violet Sake. But it’s consistently good, it tastes like real fruit, and finishing a crawl in Canada with one of these in your hand while you sit by the lagoon is genuinely one of the better moments EPCOT has to offer.
