Crown Royal bottling plant closure was expected as global whisky sales decline, expert says

While the recent announcement that Diageo will soon close its longstanding Crown Royal bottling facility in Amherstburg, Ont., has shocked the region, one Canadian whisky expert says the move was a long time coming.

"Whisky in general is selling less right around the world," said Davin de Kergommeaux, who has been researching whisky for 25 years. He is also the author of .

"People are drinking less alcohol, brown spirits. In fact, distilled spirits in general are not selling as well as they used to. Nobody's meeting their targets."

Davin de Kergommeaux has been researching whisky for 25 years. He is also the author of Canadian Whisky: The Portable Expert. (CBC News )

He said Diageo was already hit hard with their dwindling sales in Latin America, which was poorly handled by its CEO,