Diageo

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Founded

1997

Headquarters

London, England

Company type

Blender, Distiller

Diageo is one of the biggest alcoholic beverage companies in the world, boasting brands across multiple drinks categories in multiple countries. It’s Scotch whisky holdings, however, account for close to a quarter of its net spirits sales and numbering 30 and counting, their portfolio of malt distilleries is the largest in Scotland. The company’s whisky concerns are far-reaching however, with distillery representation in Ireland, USA and Canada as well.

Diageo’s biggest whisky brand is Johnnie Walker, which is joined by popular blends such as J&B and Bell’s. Its famous Classic Malts of Scotland are joined by single malts from distilleries like Mortlach and Caol Ila, and the company is represented across the breadth of the drinks industry by names like Guinness, Smirnoff, Tanqueray and Captain Morgan, to name only a few.

Diageo 1HQ
16 Great Marlborough Street
London
W1F 7HS

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1997

Founded

History

Although only established in 1997, Diageo is a company with deep roots, particularly when it comes to whisky. The drinks giant was formed by the merger of Grand Metropolitan and Guinness, who each brought some the oldest name in Scotch whisky to the table, including Justerini & Brooks and John Walker & Sons.

Although rebranded in 2002, the company’s spirits division was originally known as United Distillers and Vintners, combining Guinness’ United Distillers with Grand Metropolitan’s International Distillers and Vintners (IDV). United Distillers had been formed in 1987 through the merger of Arthur Bell & Sons with the historic Distillers Company Limited, and IDV dated back to the 1962 merger of W&A Gilbey and United Wine Traders. The latter had been acquired by Grand Metropolitan ten years later.

The creation of Diageo was not without some issues however, and its sprawling new portfolio contravened several anti-monopoly laws, the most strict of which were in the US. The result of this was the company being ordered to divest a number of their brands. The highest-profile of these was John Dewar & Sons and its associated Aberfeldy, Craigellachie and Royal Brackla distilleries, which they sold to Bacardi alongside the Bombay gin ...