Diageo-Owned Irish Whiskey Brand Roe & Co Turns to Spanish Tradition With ‘Process-Forward’ New Release

On Thursday, Drinks Industry Ireland reported that the Diageo-owned Irish whiskey brand, Roe & Co, unveiled a single malt made with the solera technique. The solera technique is commonly used in Spanish sherry production but appears to be gaining a foothold in the whiskey world.

“With this expression, we’re looking at how we layer complex depths of flavor and texture in new and interesting ways,” Roe & Co Head Distiller Lora Hemy said, according to Drinks Industry Ireland. “It is exciting to take a different approach and gather inspiration directly from the world of mixed drinks, with a process-forward approach to whiskey. This release showcases the balance between the distillery impact on spirit character and the impact of wood, with a process that allows both to shine.”

This experiment marks the inaugural use of the technique for Roe & Co, and the Irish single malt hosts an ABV of 46%. The whiskey will be available at the Dublin Airport starting in March and hosts a suggested retail price of €85 ($92).

According to the Diageo-owned brand, Roe & Co used four “criaderas” — or layers — of hand-chosen casks for the solera finishing process. The brand crafted the whiskey using first-fill American Oak and ex-bourbon casks; new Alligator char American oak barrels; Chestnut barrels; and four types of sherry-cask-aged whiskey. The whiskey was fractionally finished, using the layers of the solera system until it reached the bottom criadera and was bottled.

Roe & Co expressed that whatever amount of whiskey was removed was “topped up” and elements of the first whiskey remain “ever-present” in subsequent releases.

Though solera systems are nothing new and have been used in Spanish sherry production in Jerez for centuries, some brands in America are showing interest in this historic technique as of late.

In November, Westward Whiskey released its first luxury whiskey: Westward Whiskey Milestone, which implemented a 21-barrel solera system and featured some of the brand’s oldest whiskeys. Unlike Roe and Co’s new release, Westward implemented a fractional blending process and pulled some of the oldest whiskeys from its stocks.

Roe & Co Irish Single Malt Whiskey Tasting Notes, Via the Brand

Nose: Hazelnut and walnuts, Darjeeling tea leaves, tropical fruit and sherried notes.

Taste: Maple syrup, caramel, spices, and roasted walnuts with plenty of texture.

Finish: Nuts and orchard fruit ending with sherried notes.

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