Roe & Co is a premium blended Irish whiskey from Dublin, bottled without chill filtration and at an elevated strength of 45%. Launched in March 2017, it marked Diageo's return to the Irish whiskey category following its earlier sale of Bushmills. The name is a nod to George Roe, the distiller whose Thomas Street distillery in Dublin was one of the largest in Europe in the 19th century.
The brand was born out of a collaboration with a specific goal in mind. Roe & Co was created through a partnership between Diageo Master Blender Caroline Martin and five hand-picked bartenders from Ireland, tasked with crafting a unique blended Irish whiskey that would perform in cocktails. It is a blend of single malt and grain whiskeys matured exclusively in bourbon casks, with a high proportion of first-fill barrels.
The whiskey is triple distilled in the classic Irish tradition. Roe & Co is non-chill filtered and bottled at a higher-than-usual strength of 45%. The absence of chill filtration translates into a fuller texture – the nose reveals creaminess and a delicate aromatic quality. The palate shows roundness with notes of soft baking spice and gentle sweetness, alongside warm accents of woody vanilla, while the velvety texture carries sweet notes of spiced pear and vanilla; the finish is long and mellow, closing with a light creaminess.
The profile is built around the influence of bourbon cask maturation – vanilla, spice and orchard fruit form a core that remains approachable, yet thanks to the elevated strength never gets lost in mixed drinks. A smooth, versatile whiskey – equally at home in cocktails, shared among friends, or enjoyed neat.