Roe & Co is one of those bottles that keeps catching my eye on the back bar, and for good reason. This blended Irish whiskey sits at 45% ABV — a step above the standard 40% you see from most Irish blends — and that extra strength signals intent. Someone at the blending table wanted this to have backbone, and at £36.95, it's positioned right in that sweet spot where you're paying for quality without the premium markup that comes with age statements and fancy packaging.
What I find interesting about Roe & Co is the approach. This is a non-age-statement blend, which in the Irish whiskey world means the blender has freedom to work with a range of cask maturations to hit a specific flavour profile rather than being locked into a number on the label. The 45% bottling strength is a deliberate choice — it's enough to carry weight in a cocktail without bulldozing the mixer, and neat it has presence without burning. That balance tells me this was designed by people who actually drink whiskey, not just sell it.
As a blended Irish whiskey, you can expect the hallmarks of the style here: approachability, a certain smoothness that Irish whiskey is rightly known for, but with enough complexity to reward a slow pour. The higher ABV gives it a fuller mouthfeel than you might anticipate from a blend at this price point, and that's where Roe & Co starts to separate itself from the crowd of sub-£40 Irish options.
Tasting Notes
I don't have detailed tasting notes to break down for you on this one, but at 45% ABV and with that blended Irish character, expect a whiskey that leans into malt sweetness, gentle spice, and the kind of clean finish that makes Irish whiskey so versatile. The strength means you'll get more texture and depth than a typical 40% blend — add a few drops of water and let it open up if you want to explore what's going on.
The Verdict
At £36.95, Roe & Co is doing something smart. It's an Irish blend that refuses to be boring. The 45% ABV is the key decision here — it lifts this above session-pour territory into something you can genuinely sit with and enjoy. Is it going to compete with a 15-year-old single pot still? No, and it's not trying to. What it does is offer a well-made, confident blended whiskey at a fair price, and honestly, that's harder to find than people think. I'd give this a solid 7.5 out of 10. It knows what it is, it does it well, and it doesn't overcharge you for the privilege.
Best Served
This is a whiskey that was practically built for an Old Fashioned. The 45% ABV means it won't get lost under the sugar and bitters — muddle half a teaspoon of demerara sugar with two dashes of Angostura, stir over a large ice cube, and express an orange peel over the top. The Irish blend's smoothness keeps the drink approachable while the extra proof gives it the structure a good Old Fashioned needs. If cocktails aren't your thing, try it neat with three or four drops of water — that ABV opens up beautifully with just a little dilution.
