The Japanese distiller Suntory has just bought the American
group Jim Beam, for nearly 12 billion euros. Beam is proprietor of a number of
important spirit brands such as Scotch Whiskies Laphroaig, Ardmore, Bowmore,
Auchentoshan, Glen Garioch and Teachers; Irish Whiskey Cooley; Canadian Club; Tequila
Sauza; Courvoisier Cognac and the
Spanish brands Larios gin; Domecq Fundador brandy; Terry Centenario brandy and
the Terry Sherry bodegas, not to mention Harveys, whose Bristol Cream is the
world’s biggest selling Sherry.
Suntory quietly beat Diageo, the world’s biggest spirits
company, to the deal, which is still awaiting final shareholder and regulatory
approval, and would make Suntory the third biggest spirits company in the world.
For Evaristo Babe, the president of Fedejerez, the body which represents the
bodegas, the deal is good news as Suntory understands the language of wine. For
some time Beam and Suntory have been distributing each other’s brands in their
respective areas, including Sherry.
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