Roe & Co, the Dublin-based Irish whiskey distillery owned by Diageo, has announced an extended pause in distillation as part of a broader strategic reassessment of global operations. This makes Roe & Co the fifth Irish whiskey distillery to suspend production in recent months, following similar moves by Pernod Ricard’s Midleton Distillery, Tullamore, and Dublin Liberties Distillery.
According to a Diageo spokesperson, the decision was made "to optimise resources and support the sustainable future growth of our business." While distillation will be halted, the brand will continue to blend and package existing inventory to meet current and future consumer demand. The visitor centre, located in the repurposed Guinness Power Station in Dublin, will remain open.
Roe & Co was established in 2017, marking Diageo’s return to the Irish whiskey category after selling Bushmills in 2014. Production at the Roe & Co distillery began in 2019. The brand was named in homage to George Roe, who once operated Ireland’s largest distillery in the 19th century, George Roe & Co, situated in the historic brewing and distilling quarter alongside Guinness. The original Roe distillery, spanning 17 acres on Thomas Street, closed in 1926.
The current pause in production is reportedly expected to last one year, according to sources cited by The Robb Report. Only a small number of employees are affected, with a consultation process underway.
This strategic move comes on the heels of Diageo pausing production at its Lebanon Distillery in Kentucky earlier this year, citing that it was “ahead of schedule with the volume”. That facility, which produces Bulleit, operates using 100% renewable electricity and has a capacity of up to 10 million proof gallons annually.
The Irish whiskey market is currently facing an oversupply situation, with major producers reevaluating production volumes. Roe & Co had previously gained attention for releasing innovative products such as a 13-year-old single malt matured in Port casks and a solera whiskey using its earliest distillates.
In another sign of the sector’s challenges, the Powerscourt Distillery in County Wicklow has recently entered receivership.
