After Dropping Bushmills, Diageo Gets Back Into Irish Whiskey

By Richard Thomas

It’s only been 1 1/2 years since British drinks conglomerate Diageo left many observers scratching their heads by handing Bushmills over to Mexican tequila giant Jose Cuervo in exchange for sole ownership of the Don Julio brand plus an undisclosed sum. Now Diageo is zagging back into the booming Irish Whiskey sector by creating an entirely new brand, Roe & Co.

Diageo announced today that it would invest €25 million over three years to build a new Irish distillery. This new plant will be added on to the existing Guinness brewery compound in Dublin, and in the meantime Roe & Co. will build its brand identity as a blended Irish Whiskey by using sourced spirits.