Ireland: Diageo-owned Roe & Co distillery to pause production

Diageo-owned Roe & Co has become the fifth Irish whiskey distillery to pause production, following Pernod Ricard’s Midleton Distillery, Tullamore and Dublin Liberties Distillery, Drinks Digest reported on July 1.

A Diageo spokesperson said: “In order to optimise resources and support the sustainable future growth of our business, we have made the decision to put an extended pause on distillation at the Roe & Co Distillery.

“The visitor centre will remain open to the public, and we will continue to blend and package Roe & Co to meet existing and new consumer demand using existing inventory.”

The former Guinness Power Station in Dublin was regenerated into a new visitor experience and urban distillery for Roe & Coe back in 2019. It was Diageo’s first move back into Irish whiskey following its disposal of Bushmills in 2014.

The name Roe & Co was a tribute to George Roe, who helped to build the golden era of Irish whiskey in the 19th century. His distillery at Thomas Street in Dublin extended over 17 acres and was Ireland’s largest exporter of whiskey. As neighbours for hundreds of years, George Roe and Guinness were the two biggest names at the heart of Dublin’s historic brewing and distilling quarter.

A source told The Robb Report that the pause at Roe & Co is set to last for a year.