Diageo redeems themselves with a real-deal Irish Whiskey… May the Dram Be With You.
A few years ago in 2015, somewhere in the corporate tower of Diageo — lords of international spirits — some middle management minion came into the star chamber and told the emperor that he had been successful in selling Bushmills Irish Whiskey. To which the dark lord exclaimed… "You did WHAT?!"
OK… we’re only speculating a bit. But with the exploding popularity of Irish Whiskey these days, it’s obvious that Diageo regretted the sale. Roe & Co. Irish Whiskey was released for the first time in March of 2017 to bring a premium Irish Whiskey back into the Diageo portfolio. It’s named after the George Roe & Co that once owned the Thomas Street Distillery in Dublin — the largest in the world at the time. Diageo is planning on building a new Roe & Co. Distillery to support the line, so we believe that a Single Malt is coming as a sequel.
First, let’s just say it out loud… Diageo knows the spirits business as well as anyone, and this is a solid initial offering right out of the gate. It’s a blend in all the right ways. Diageo put one of their best people on it — master blender Jedi-Knight of Whiskey, Caroline Martin. And it’s aged exclusively in ex-Bourbon casks — most first-fill — and bottled at an almost perfect 45% ABV. Spot on flavor and texture. We think that this Irish Whiskey is a bargain and that it will likely sell for more in coming years as the public awakens to the new brand.
What does Roe & Co Blended Irish Whiskey taste like?
The Flavor Spiral™ shows the most common flavors that you'll taste in Roe & Co Blended Irish Whiskey and gives you a chance to have a taste of it before actually tasting it.
We invented Flavor Spiral™ here at Flaviar to get all your senses involved in tasting drinks and, frankly, because we think that classic tasting notes are boring.
Dog Dogson's
Smartass Corner
The Harp is the official emblem of Ireland, not the shamrock. The reason for shamrock’s fame is Saint Patrick.
I'm not a big Irish Whiskey fan. For me I'm at a 4.5 with it. But would be curious to see what this does with more age on it.
William,
This is a good Irish, but a bit bland. It mixes well, but only because it isn't really assertive. It's nice at this price and I wouldn't turn it down, but unless you just demand smooth, there's better. I'm curious if there's going to be some singles out of Roe, which would be interesting.
Craig,
Liked this well enough upon first sampling. Upon second sampling - WOW! Smooth, with notes of caramelly, vanilla sweetness (but not too sweet). Rapidly becoming one of my favorite Irish whiskeys.
Julius,
Very sweet! Easy drinking but still has some decent flavors to chew on. After a surprisingly mellow intro, hints of powdered sugar and vanilla linger. Definitely worth a try if you come across a bottle!
Steven,
Loved it! Only negative is that the bottle is too small and it’s hard to find.
Craig,
This is a very good Irish whiskey. Pronounced aroma of vanilla. I detected notes of spice, generalized sweetness, vanilla, and pear/peach. Smooth, warming finish. I like it - very much!
Craig,
Very nice Irish whiskey. Strong aroma of vanilla. Prominent notes of vanilla, spice, and fruit. I detected hints of peach along with the pear as described. Smooth and warming on the finish. A very good value.
Michael,
A very clean and sippable Irish.
Taimur,
You get that subtle hint of pralines and biscuits, I love it!
This was the standout in what I tasted. I was able to pick up most of the flavors and generally enjoyed it. Amazed it was so good compared to the others at much higher price points.
adrian,
A beautiful whiskyđŸ“‰
Andrew,
The vanilla, cream and pear flavors are quite nice. Great whiskey at this price point
Michael,
Light and sweet as far as whiskeys go. Has a subtle note of fruit such as pear/apple. Goes great with a cigar as a decent contrasting flavor.
Casey,
It is a good Irish whiskey. It was different than expected but the vanilla flavor is fantastic. One time buy.
Juan,
Power to vanilla!!
Very sweet
Kirk,
Excellent Irish Whiskey! Very creamy flavor.
chris,
This is my favorite Whiskey, I only wish I could buy it local.
Ryan,
Very flavorful, I definitely enjoyed it
Robert,
Very good Irish whiskey with class. Good on the nose and feisty taste. Hope Flaviar will add curators cask and cask strength
Spencer,
Heavy on alcohol, probably good in an Irish coffee and cake.
Leslie,
I wrote my initial review soon after receiving this bottle. After tasting, particularly the notes of pear, I have changed my mind and decided that this is definitely worth having in my home bar.
Daniel,
Straight: The spicyness overwhelms everything else. There is a hint of creaminess.
On ice:. Spice is subdued, vanilla and sweetness come through. Much smoother!
Robert,
Better with every time. Great on the nose. Can Flaviar get the cask strength as well?
Matthew,
Like the vanilla nose, but the flavor is a little harsh
Krissy,
Tried some cocktails at the distillery in Ireland in October 2019 - excellent blend that suited itself for cocktails, but on its own? A little rough - but pleasant enough. Would try again!
Leslie,
Too much spice and alcohol drowns out the vanilla and pear. Poor quality price ratio - won’t be in my home bar. I’ll stick with Black Barrel
Westlee,
Black Barrel is a favorite - Proper Twelve probably the best value ratio on the low end if you like to drink it neat.
Scott,
I really enjoyed this Irish Whiskey
Denny,
I tried this whiskey in the airport last year as a sample, i never had whiskey before and it was good, didn’t have an after taste, very smooth, taste like a cocktail
guest,
Super sweet smell. Definitely feel the spice in the tongue but not overwhelming. Kind of sweet and nutty flavor going down.
Lawrence,
Mild flavor but a surprise spice
Michael,
Very smooth but with some interesting notes. Very good with just a splash of water. Very good value at this price.
Justin,
Very nice smooth sipper
Sydney,
Very smooth and light on the tongue
Amanda,
Super smooth and tasty. Drinks great as a cocktail and neat.
Kyle,
7 stars for an Irish Whiskey good enough to sip neat or to make in a Irish, Ginger, & Lime.
Audrey,
We love Yellow Spot - this is a strong contender as a replacement, especially at this price point. Definitely an Irish with the late after burn, but not as strong as some Irish. Incredibly creamy and vanilla forward, didn't pick up spice, but did on the fruit, caramel, and sweetness (but not too sweet). Tried it with a cube and it ruined it. Best neat. Adding to our bar most definitely, and incredibly drinkable at the price.
Steven,
taste of vanilla and pears with a cinnamon spicy start and mild oak finish.
guest,
Marvellous stuff
Keith,
Delicious neat or with ice.
Robert,
Spicy. Cinnamon. Pear.
Louis,
Nice. Smooth finish. Has a nice aroma to it.
Michael,
Mild with hints of vanilla
Kent,
Sweet vanilla finish. A touch of spice. Very nice -- one of my favorite Irish Whiskeys.
Jennifer,
Spicy with a sweet finish. Nicely balanced.
Marguerite,
Smooth Irish whiskey
Paul,
smokey taste with a hint of caramel, very smooth
Michael,
Smooth and easy to drink
Michael,
Wow. It hits you hard right out of the gate. Once I put a splash of water in, it settled down a bit. Very spicy on the front and a bit sweet on the back. Interesting whiskey
Michael,
Pretty good Irish whiskey, has a little but spice in the flavor which is unexpected and refreshing because it has a sweet smell.
Jerald,
Very smooth, a nice well rounded scotch for all.
Dan,
Average- wasn’t thrilled with it.
Kiley,
A very nice whiskey from the Emerald Isle. Not too sweet, not too spicy; a note of vanilla up front. A pleasant, light-bodied spirit overall. Very enjoyable. Will buy again.
Andrew,
A great blend! Perfect!
Aaron,
Loved this whiskey!! Smooth with a nice flavorful finish! Highly recommend!
Kristen,
Incredibly smooth and flavourful
Shannon,
Really good. Vanilla taste and spicy
Darren,
One of the best Irish whisky bottles I have purchased. Not too sweet or peaty, smooth.
Ellen,
Delicious!
MaĂ¯lys,
I feel caramel, great for sweet after dinner drink !!!
Andriy,
Good quality for it’s price
Marc,
Nice and smooth Irish whiskey with a little sweetness.
Geoffrey,
Very drinkable.
Michael,
A great standard Irish whiskey, good with a half an ice cube to mellow the proof a little.
Scott,
If you like non-peaty varieties, this is a great one.
Michael,
Smooth, just a hint of smoke. I used a cube of ice and it just made it better
Charles,
Excellent
Olivia,
Very smooth, creamy and woody. My personal favorite Irish Whiskey.
guest,
Smooth whiskey with a smoked finish.
Charles,
Good smell. Goes down smooth. Slight burn in mouth. Tastes of slight vanilla. Not as much flavor as I'd like.
Morgan,
.
guest,
Barely any flavor going on here. There's a slight creaminess to it but that's about it. No fruit or honey, no woods, not much, but a shitty alcohol taste. At first taste there's the cream, that quickly fades to nothing, but a flavorless burn. Beautiful looking bottle though, good to just throw up on the bar for decor, maybe good in mixed drinks, but I'd never know. Cheapish end of the spectrum- I'm surprised about all the good reviews... maybe I got a bad batch- tasted and smelled like straight medical antiseptic, aged for approximately twenty minutes... don't let the bottle & price seduce you, better off with just about any other Irish.
Michael,
Solid 7-8. Aroma is deceptive, almost a turpentine smell, but the flavor is excellent. Vanilla, smooth, easy on the palate.
Lennart,
Sweet Dreams! Really enjoyed this one.
Jonathan,
Damn good. Tasted it out of the 'blended not stirred' sample pack. I would describe it as more of a golden appearance than amber. Subtle smell. The flavor was smooth vanilla with the right amount of spice. Great finish with a solid warmth.
Jose,
Really good
Katelyn,
Bond’s taste is as fine as his looks. This box is full of flavors that lure you closer. There’s a journey from the way the Roe & Co Irish Whiskey hugged your tongue to the sweet softness of the Hedonism Scotch.
Meg,
Love the spice with the hint of sweet!
John,
creamy sweet with just a hint of spice
Joe,
Just the right amount of sweet and heat. Truly enjoyed this whiskey. Will be adding this to my bar.
Soren,
Nice and creamy with hint of vanilla and caramel
William,
A little harsh, but delicious.
Mark,
Tasted too much like maples syrup
James,
First smells of vanilla, cinnamon & lavender. Mild fruity but spicy aftertaste. Decent but won’t be adding a full bottle to my collection
Amanda,
Decent blended whiskey. Not as many layers as I wouldve thought; very prominent in vanilla and spice, I can't pick up much else. nice finish, although more like a very hot finish. It's nice, but I don't think I would buy again .
Christopher,
Great flavor, nice warmth. Very cozy whiskey
Martin,
Soft and creamy on the nose. A sweet spice opening with with subtle hits of fruit in the background. A short ending. A reminder of Christmastime. A nice whiskey to have on hand for an evening sipping or to share with friends. Great for new drinkers and easy on the wallet.
Andrew,
Stronger spicy flavor than I expected. Not bad, not special by comparison.
guest,
Good after dinner dram.
Antti,
It is an outstanding, creamy, Irish whiskey with a strong birth, while a spicy life leads to a delicate death.
alexey,
Vanilla and honey
Mark,
I lean towards scotch but this Irish whiskey was quite nice. On the sweet side but had more kick/character than Jameson
Scott,
Not quite as smooth as a premium scotch but plenty smooth for me. Definitely taste the vanilla. I wish the nose was a bit more pleasant & had a softer finish.
Nick,
Smooth and sweet, whilst giving a nice kick
Brian,
Smooth. Can taste the caramel and fruit but only subtlety.
Mathew,
Light and slightly sweet, hints of apple and pear. Big spicy finish.
Michael,
A fine whiskey indeed - the caramel and the syrup make it smooth and sweet while it still maintains a spicy character of whiskey. Worth a bottle for sure.
Grant,
Good Irish whiskey but a bit on the boozy side with the finish
Daniela,
Loved the smoothness and vanilla taste.
Leo,
Sweet, smooth and silky
Fabio,
Loved it. Has an amazingly smooth finish.
Matt,
Very smooth, almost creamy.
Barry,
Smooth, strong vanilla, great finish, will buy
Vic,
Smooth and easy to drink! Vanilla and spice notes.