Fortune Brands, Inc

Jim Beam, the world's #1 bourbon,

courvosier coniak
sauza tekilla
Diageo plc
Smirnoff
Ketel One vodka
Ciroc

Diageo Plc was the world's leading and most profitable wine and spirits company,
with fiscal 2007 revenues of $15.8 billion. Diageo was the result of a merger b
etween Grand Metropolitan and Guinness in 1997. The creation of Diageo was a str
ategic breakthrough in the spirits industry, bringing together leading brands in
most spirit categories and access to customers in more than 200 countries. Diag
eo's brands included Baileys liqueur, Gordon's, Gilbey and Tanqueray gin, Johnni
e Walker, J&B Rare and Bell's whiskeys, and Smirnoff vodka. Additionally, the co
mpany acquired Captain Morgan, Crown Royal, and VO Canadian brands through the p
urchase of Seagram's drink business from Vivendi Universal. Diageo also formed t
rading partnerships with Moet Hennessy and Jose Cuervo.
Allied Domecq Plc is the world's second-leading distiller. Allied Domecq owned 1
2 of the top 100 international premium spirit brands, including Ballantine's Sco
tch whiskey, Beefeater gin, Kahlua, Sauza tequila, Canadian Club whiskey, and Co
urvoisier.
Pernod Riccard is the third-largest spirits company, recording sales of $7.6 bil
lion in 2006. It is the maker of the world's leading bourbon whiskey, Wild Turke
y, and is the leading seller of Irish whiskey, including Bushmills and Jameson.
Other spirits the company produces include Pernod, Ricard, Eoliki, Zoco, Altai v
odka, Havana Club Cuban rum, and Clan Campbell Scotch whisky.
One of the world's leading spirits producers, Bacardi, produces the world's best
-selling rum brand. Other brands include Dewar's Scotch whisky, Martini & Rossi
vermouth, Bombay gin, DiSaronno Amaretto, and B&B and Benedictine liqueurs. The
company also makes vodka, tequila, and cognacs.
Kentucky-based Brown-Forman Corporation was created in 1870 when George C. Brown
and John Forman opened their distillery in Louisville to produce Old Forester b
ourbon. In 1902 Forman sold his interest in the company to the Brown family, whi
ch has remained in control of the business ever since. Well-known brands include
d Jack Daniel's, Gentleman Jack, Old Forester, Early Times, Canadian Mist, South
ern Comfort, Korbel, Jack Daniel's Country Cocktails, Finlandia Vodkas, Bushmill
s Irish Whiskeys, and Glenmorangie Single Highland Malts.
Jim Beam Brands Worldwide, a subsidiary of Fortune Brands Inc., is the world's l
eading producer of bourbon, with its namesake Jim Beam. The company also is the
number one producer of cordials through its DeKuyper label. The company started
in 1795 when Jacob Beam, a Kentucky farmer, developed his recipe for Kentucky bo
urbon whiskey. His son, David, joined the business, and with the assistance of n
ew roads the distillery business grew as distribution broadened into the surroun
ding counties. In the following years, the distillery was moved twice, first to
take advantage of an abundance of spring water and again to be closer to the rai
lroad lines. The company's distillery is located on 430 acres in Clermont, 30 mi
les south of Louisville. Booker Noe, grandson of Jim Beam, is the Master Distill
er at Clermont.