Diageo is to launch a new premium Blended Irish Whiskey, Roe & Co, as figures reveal that Irish Whiskey is the fastest growing spirit in the world, with global sales increasing by over 300%.
The move by Diageo into the premium Irish Whiskey category comes as the company announced plans for investment in a whiskey distillery in the once Power Station at St. James's Gate. The total project investment comes to £18.6m over three years.
As seen in other spirit categories in recent years, Diageo identified a clear opportunity in Irish Whiskey to drive overall category growth via premiumisation. Responding to this, Roe & Co was born. The brand has been created to reflect modern, contemporary luxury, in evrything from pack to liquid, and with a focus of making Irish Whiskey more prominent in Europe's booming cocktail culture.
Roe & Co is made from the finest hand-selected stocks of Irish malt and grain whiskies and aged in bourbon casks. It has the signature smoothness of Irish Whiskey with remarkable depth of flavor - a luxuriously smooth blend, with a perfect harmony between the intense fruitiness of the malt and the mellow creaminess of the grain whiskies.
Using her 30 years of experience, Diageo's Master Blender Caroline Martin and her team set about meticulously sourcing and selecting stocks of the very finest Irish whiskies. Having trialled over 100 prototype blends since December 2014, Caroline has created an extraordinary expression of Irish Whiskey.
The high proportion of first-fill casks gives notes of creamy vanilla balanced with its hints of fruit and soft spice and a remarkable depth for such an elegant and refined whiskey. Roe & Co is non-chill filtered and bottled at 45% ABV. The first blend of Roe & Co will be available in key European cities from 1st March 2017 as part of Diageo's growing Reserve portfolio.
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed TD said, 'Irish Whiskey is experiencing a renaissance and is truly an Irish success story. It is seeing a return to the success it experienced in its golden era in the 19th Century and is now the fastest growing spirit drink in the world with global sales increasing by over 300% and record exports of over €400 million in the last ten years.
'This commitment and investment by Diageo comes at an opportune time for the sector which is experiencing unprecedented global demand. The investment in this project over 3 years will support the local economy, create jobs, and bring a welcome new addition to the City's tourism offering. The Irish Whiskey market has a great story to tell and today's announcement marks an exciting new chapter in its development'.
Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovations, Mary Mitchell O'Connor TD said, 'It is great to see Diageo continue to invest in and further enhance the historical Dublin 8 area to create a fantastic attraction for tourists and locals alike. The proposed distillery will play a major role in the overall regeneration of the Liberties through the repurposing of the St James' Gate Power House.
'Irish produced whiskey has never been as popular, garnering international acclaim and recognition. Diageo's decision to move into the premium Irish whiskey category and its plans to invest in a new distillery will further enhance Ireland's reputation as one of the finest premium whiskey producers in the world'.
Tanya Clarke, General Manager of Reserve Europe, said, 'This is a wonderful project for us at Diageo, highlighting the opportunity we see to develop the premium segment of Irish Whiskey and contribute to the category's growth as it sees new investment and entrepreneurial interest. In crafting Roe & Co we explored the demands of today's consumers for more premium drinking experiences and the desire of bartenders for an adaptable, flavourful whiskey that works in both traditional and new cocktails.'
Colin O'Brien Operations Director of Diageo said: 'The planned distillery will provide em-ployment in the coming years - both at construction and operation stages. It will complement what is already the country's most popular tourism offering, The Guinness Storehouse. This investment further demonstrates Diageo's commitment to the growing vibrancy of The Lib-erties, one of the City's most dynamic districts and the home of Irish Whiskey during the orig-inal golden age of Irish distilling. We are excited that the planned distillery will help revive the proud tradition of distilling in the Liberties.'