Food & Drinks

Here Comes Another Irish Whiskey for the Crowded Top Shelf

  • Liquor giant hasn’t had an Irish whiskey brand since 2015 deal
  • Pernod Ricard’s Jameson dominates fast-growing spirit category

A bottle of Roe & Co Irish whiskey, manufactured by Diageo.

Source: Diageo Plc
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Diageo Plc is getting back into Irish whiskey, taking on Pernod Ricard SA’s Jameson and Red Breast labels by investing $25 million in a Dublin distillery that will produce a new premium-priced brand called Roe & Co.

The maker of Smirnoff vodka and Johnnie Walker scotch will begin selling the first cases of Roe & Co next month in major European cities, Colin O’Brien, director of U.K. and Ireland operations, said Tuesday on a call with reporters. Priced at about 30 pounds ($37) a bottle, the brand will join the company’s high-end Reserve division, Diageo said.