Roe & Co honours George Roe, whose Thomas Street distillery in Dublin's Liberties was once the largest in Ireland — and arguably the world — during the golden age of Irish whiskey in the nineteenth century. Diageo revived the name in 2017 and opened a new distillery on Thomas Street, returning whiskey production to its historic home after an absence of over 90 years. The blended whiskey was the first release, designed to establish the brand while the distillery's own spirit matures.
The blend uses malt and grain whiskeys from Midleton, selected and finished in flamed bourbon barrels — casks that have been toasted with an open flame to add extra vanilla and spice character. At 45%, it has more presence than the standard 40% Irish blends, and the flamed barrel finishing adds a subtle but noticeable warmth and sweetness.
Roe & Co is a polished, well-made Irish blend that sits comfortably in the premium segment of the market. It lacks the pot still character that would give it a more distinctly Irish personality, but the quality of the blending and the bourbon cask finishing create a whiskey that is genuinely enjoyable and drinks above its price. As Roe & Co's own Thomas Street distillate matures and enters the range, the brand has the potential to become something genuinely significant in the Irish whiskey revival.
