Brand origins
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| 1749 |
Giacomo Justerini's arrival in London leads to the formation of Johnson & Justerini - later to become Justerini & Brooks - wine merchants and blenders of the famous J&B whisky range |
| 1759 |
Arthur Guinness signed a 9000-year lease on a disused brewery at St James's Gate in Dublin deciding soon after to brew a variation of the porter stout popular in London at the time |
| 1794 |
Oban distillery fires its stills in the West Highlands. During the next century, Oban is followed by Lagavulin, Talisker, Glenkinchie, Cragganmore and Dalwhinnie; all six distilleries are still operating today. Representing six unique styles of single malt whisky, they have been dubbed the 'Classic Malts of Scotland' |
| 1795 |
Jose Cuervo receive a licence to produce his now legendary tequila in Mexico. In 1812 the Cuervo family built Fabrica La Rojena, now the oldest distillery in Latin America. Soon they were selling their tequila across Mexico and by 1873 it was being exported to the United States |
| 1820 |
Fifteen-year-old John Walker establishes his small Kilmarnock grocery shop in 1820. Soon after he applied the principles of tea blending to malt whiskies, producing a blend that evolved into the world's most popular whisky - Johnnie Walker |
| 1830 |
Clergyman's son Charles Tanqueray abandons his family profession and establishes a small gin distillery in London's Bloomsbury district |
| 1886 |
Piotr Smirnov was made 'Official Purveyor' of vodka to the imperial Russian court. His pure, charcoal-filtered vodka became the toast of the Czars. Later, one of Smirnov's sons escaped Russia's revolution and restarted the family business in Paris, adopting the francophone name Smirnoff. The pure Smirnoff vodka took America by storm in the 1930's and went on to become a global icon |
| 1974 |
Baileys Irish Cream liqueur is created in Ireland. This totally new drink used a unique blending process to combine Irish spirits with rich dairy cream. Today, it remains the most popular new spirit product of the past thirty years |
| 1984 |
During the 1980s America developed a taste for rum bearing the name of Captain Henry Morgan - the British buccaneer, who became Governor of Jamaica from 1680 to 1688. Captain Morgan rum was already popular around the world, but it was the 1984 introduction of an Original Spiced Rum variant that made the Captain a Stateside success |
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Our history |
| 2008 |
Diageo and the Nolet Family form a 50/50 company which owns the perpetual exclusive rights to sell, market and distribute Ketel One Vodka
Diageo, Heineken and Namibia breweries announce joint ventures in South Africa
Bushmills celebrate its 400th anniversary
Diageo signs global distribution and joint marketing agreements for Zacapa Centenario Rum
Diageo acquires Rosenblum Cellars |
| 2007 |
Creation of the Diageo's Asia Pacific region borne out of existing hubs within Diageo International regrouping Asia, Greater China and Australasia
Diageo acquires 43% of the equity of Sichuan Chengdu Quanxing group in China
Diageo celebrates 10 years anniversary as the world's leading premium drinks business
Diageo announces £100m investment in the future of Scotch whisky |
| 2006 |
Diageo and A1, an Alfa group company, create a strategic partnership for expansion in Russia. Through the joint venture, Diageo acquires a majority interest in the Smirnov brand and business which will form the basis of the new operation in Russia
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| 2005 |
Diageo acquires Bushmills Irish whiskey. The Old Bushmills Distillery is Ireland's oldest whiskey distillery. The village of Bushmills boasts a centuries old whiskey-making tradition, including a royal licence to distil granted in 1608.
Talisker Distillery celebrates its 175th anniversary
Diageo acquires the Chalone wine group
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| 2004 |
Diageo reorganises its business into three divisions: Diageo Europe, Diageo North America and Diageo International
Restructure of Diageo's United States joint venture with Moet Hennessy |
| 2002 |
Diageo celebrated its fifth year. To mark this special event, Diageo executives rang the New York Stock Exchange opening bell |
| 2001 |
In December the U.S Federal Trade Commission issued a consent order permitting Diageo and Pernod Ricard to acquire the Seagram spirits and wine business |
| 2000 |
Paul Walsh becomes Chief Executive Officer
Diageo undertakes a strategic re-alignment of its beverage alcohol business
Lord Blyth of Rowington succeeds Sir Anthony Greener as Chairman of Diageo plc
Launch of Tanqueray No.TEN in the United States |
| 1999 |
Launch of Smirnoff Ice in Britain, closely followed by launches in Ireland, Canary Islands, Australia and South Africa
Guinness Draught in a Bottle is introduced (August) |
| 1997 |
GrandMet and Guinness merge; United Distillers & Vintners (UDV) created from the integration of the IDV and UD businesses |
| 1994 |
Kilkenny Irish cream ale is launched
Launch of Smirnoff Mule
Guinness and LVMH cross-shareholding restructured. Guinness now has 34% of Moët Hennessy (drinks division of LMVH). LVMH retains a stake in Guinness PLC |
| 1993 |
Guinness acquires Desnoes & Geddes, the Jamaican brewer of Red Stripe lager |
| 1990 |
Guinness/LVMH cross-shareholding increased to 24% |
| 1989 |
British launch of Guinness Draught in cans, using the famous 'widget' |
| 1988 |
Guinness and LVMH take a 12% cross-shareholding in one another |
| 1987 |
Launch of the Classic Malts range
United Distillers is formed, combining the businesses of DCL and Arthur Bell & Sons |
| 1986 |
Guinness acquires the Distillers Company |
| 1985 |
Guinness acquires Arthur Bell & Sons |
| 1974 |
Launch of Baileys Irish cream liqueur |
| 1963 |
Guinness opens first brewery in Africa, at Ikeja in Nigeria |
| 1962 |
W&A Gilbey merges with United Wine Traders to form International Distillers & Vintners (IDV) |
| 1909 |
Tom Brown draws the first Johnnie Walker striding man figure
Launch of Johnnie Walker Red Label and Johnnie Walker Black Label Scotch whisky |
| 1898 |
Knockando distillery founded Alexander Gordon & Co merger with Charles Tanqueray & Co, forming Tanqueray Gordon & Co |
| 1896 |
Dalwhinnie distillery founded |
| 1886 |
Smirnoff becomes the sole supplier of vodka to the Russian Imperial Court |
| 1877 |
Formation of the Distillers Company Ltd (DCL), a combination of six lowland grain whisky distilleries |
| 1869 |
Cragganmore distillery founded |
| 1857 |
Walter and Alfred Gilbey establish themselves as London wine merchants; they establish a gin distillery in Camden Town in 1851 |
| 1851 |
Justerini & Brooks joins forces with Twiss Brownings and Hallowes Ltd - agents for Hennessy cognac since 1840 - to form United Wine Traders |
| 1837 |
Glenkinchie distillery founded |
| 1831 |
Alfred Brooks purchases Johnson & Justerini and re-names it Justerini & Brooks |
| 1830 |
Talisker distillery founded
Charles Tanqueray formulates his recipe for gin |
| 1825 |
Thomas Sandeman sets up a spirit and wine business in Perth. Arthur Bell joins business in 1837 and later takes over |
| 1820 |
John Walker sets up a grocery shop in Kilmarnock, Scotland |
| 1817 |
Lagavulin distillery founded |
| 1795 |
José Maria Guadalupe Cuervo received the first licence to produce tequila |
| 1794 |
Oban distillery established |
| 1779 |
Johnson and Justerini start selling Scotch whisky |
| 1769 |
Alexander Gordon sets up his gin business in London |
| 1759 |
Arthur Guinness establishes his brewery in Dublin |
| 1749 |
Giacomo Justerini arrives in London from Italy and forms the Johnson and Justerini partnership - predecessor of Justerini and Brooks |