Jan 15, 2014
Bourbon or scotch? You may be surprised by who owns your favorite whiskey
Even fewer companies control the majority of the whisky market, after Suntory announces it'll purchase Jim Beam.
Do you prefer Maker’s Mark bourbon to Jim Beam? Laphroig scotch to Bowmore? Basil Hayden’s to Knob Creek?
All are different distilleries, to be sure, but now they’re all owned by the same company. Japan’s Suntory is buying Beam Inc. — as in Jim Beam — for $13.6 billion. The deal will make Suntory one of the largest alcohol producers in the world.
Curious if your favorite whiskey is one of Suntory’s brands — or another of the big distilleries?
Here’s a breakdown of which company owns which whiskey brand:
