 | |
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Drink industry |
| Founded | 1877 |
| Defunct | 1986 |
| Fate | Acquired |
| Successor | Guinness |
| Headquarters | Edinburgh, Scotland, UK |
| Products | Scotch whisky |
| Parent | Diageo  |
The Distillers Company plc was a leading Scotch whisky company and, one time, a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. It was taken over by Guinness & Co. (now part of Diageo) in 1986 in a transaction which was later found to be involved in fraudulent activity, becoming known as the Guinness share-trading fraud.
The company's origins lie in a trade association known as the Scotch Distillers' Association formed by Menzies, Barnard & Craig, John Bald & Co., John Haig & Co., MacNab Bros, Robert Mowbray and Macfarlane & Co. in 1865. [1]
It was incorporated in 1877 as The Distillers Company Ltd. (DCL) and combined with John Walker & Son and Buchanan-Dewar in 1925. [1]
Many malt distilleries were operated by DCL under the umbrella of Scottish Malt Distillers (SMD): Aberfeldy, Auchroisk, Aultmore, Balmenach, Banff, Benrinnes, Brora, Caol Ila, Cardhu, Clynelish, Coleburn, Convalmore, Craigellachie, Cragganmore, Dailuaine, Dallas Dhu, Dalwhinnie, Glen Albyn, Glendullan, Glen Elgin, Glenesk, Glenkinchie, Glenlochy, Glenlossie, Glen Mhor, Glen Ord, Glenury, Glentauchers, Knockdhu, Lagavulin, Linkwood, Mannochmore, Millburn, Mortlach, North Port, Oban, Parkmore, Port Charlotte, Port Ellen, Pulteney, Rosebank, Royal Brackla, Royal Lochnagar, Talisker, St Magdalene, Teaninich and Tobermory. [2] [3]
It was acquired by Guinness in 1986 [4] and was renamed as United Distillers in 1987. [5]
In 1998 United Distillers was merged with International Distillers & Vintners to create United Distillers & Vintners, forming the spirits division of Diageo plc. The company still exists today as Diageo Scotland Ltd. [3] [6]
Since 1915, during the World War I, Distillers supplied industrial alcohol for making explosives. In 1922, it started to manufacture Discol-branded motor fuel made from alcohol. [7] In 1928, it formed together with Turner and Newall the Carbon Dioxide Co Ltd to for sale of gas, a byproduct of their operations. In 1930, Distillers formed the British Industrial Solvents for production of acids and other solvents from industrial alcohol. In 1933, it formed Gyproc Products which was sold to British Plaster Board in 1944. [8] In 1937, Distillers acquired British Resin Products. [8] [9] In 1939, it acquired a controlling stake in Commercial Solvents and 50% interest in BX Plastics, which full control was acquired in 1961. It followed by getting 48% shareholding in F. A. Hughes and Co. in 1941 and taking the full control in 1947. [8] In 1947, F. A. Hughes and Co. was merged into British Resin. [8] [9]
In 1947, British Petroleum Chemicals was incorporated as a joint venture of AIOC and Distillers Company. In 1956, the company was renamed British Hydrocarbon Chemicals. [10]
In 1945, Distillers formed a joint venture British Geon with B. F. Goodrich to produce polyvinyl chloride and in 1954 it started a partnership named Distrene with Dow Chemicals to produce polystyrene. [9] In 1955, it took full control of Magnesium Elektron. [8] In 1967, BP acquired chemical and plastic assets of The Distillers Company which were merged with British Hydrocarbon Chemicals to form BP Chemicals. [11]
From 1942, Distillers Biochemicals (DCBL) operated an Agency Factory of the British Ministry of Supply manufacturing penicillin in Speke. The plant was one of the first two factories in Europe to produce penicillin. [12] Following World War II, DCBL purchased the facility for approximately four million dollars.
Distillers was also responsible for the manufacture of the drug Thalidomide in the United Kingdom. [13] Thalidomide had been developed by Grunenthal with whom, in July 1957, DCBL signed a sixteen-year contract to market the drug. DCBL ordered 6,000 tablets for clinical trial and 500 grammes of pure substance for animal experiments and formulation. Thalidomide was marketed in the United Kingdom under the name Distaval, beginning on 14 April 1958. Advertisements emphasised the drug's complete safety, using phrases such as non-toxic and no known toxicity. Later, Thalidomide was marketed under the names Asmaval, Tensival, Valgis, and Valgraine and found to cause nerve damage and malformations in births. [14]
The Speke site, also known as Speke Operations, was eventually sold to Eli Lilly and Company in 1963. [15] In February 2022 it was acquired by TriRX. [16]
The Glenlivet distillery is a distillery near Ballindalloch in Moray, Scotland, that produces single malt Scotch whisky. It is the oldest legal distillery in Scotland. It was founded in 1824 and has operated almost continuously since.
Diageo plc is a British multinational alcoholic beverage company, with its headquarters in London, England. It operates from 132 sites around the world. It is a major distributor of Scotch whisky and other spirits. Distilleries owned by Diageo produce 40% of all Scotch whisky with over 24 brands, such as Johnnie Walker, J&B and Old Parr.
Lagavulin distillery is a malt whisky distillery in the village of Lagavulin on the south of the island of Islay, Scotland. It distills spirit that will become Islay single malt Scotch whisky.
The Classic Malts of Scotland is a selection of six single malt whiskies, launched and marketed together in 1988 by United Distillers and Vintners which is now owned by Diageo. They are often displayed together in bars and liquor stores. Diageo has since marketed other single malt labels and expressions with the Classic Malts labeling. The six original malts are:
Dalwhinnie distillery, situated in the Highland village of Dalwhinnie in Scotland, produces single malt Scotch whisky. Whilst labelled as Highland, as the Dalwhinnie distillery is located in the Badenoch and Strathspey ward of the Highland Council, it is in the Speyside region - noting that under SWA regulations the full Speyside region falls within the boundaries of the Highlands and so can be labelled as such. The distillery owned by Diageo.
Cragganmore distillery is a Scotch whisky distillery situated in the village of Ballindalloch in Banffshire, Scotland.
United Distillers was a Scottish company formed in 1987 from combining the businesses of Distillers Company and Arthur Bell & Sons, both owned by Guinness. The company owned six single malt Scotch brands, which were relaunched as the Classic Malts range. It also owned the Bernheim distillery and the Stitzel-Weller distillery, both in Louisville, Kentucky in the United States.
Inchgower distillery is a whisky distillery producing a single malt of the same name located on the outskirts of Buckie, Moray, Scotland.
Glen Elgin distillery is a Scotch single malt whisky distillery in Fogwatt, Moray, Scotland.
Glendullan distillery is a single malt Scotch whisky distillery in Dufftown, Scotland in the Speyside region. Glendullan is owned by Diageo.
Glen Ord distillery is a whisky distillery in the Scottish Highlands and is the only remaining single malt scotch whisky distillery on the Black Isle.
Haig is a brand of Scotch whisky, produced by Diageo in Scotland. It was originally manufactured by John Haig & Co Ltd. since the early 1720s.
TheNorth British distillery is a grain whisky distillery located in the Gorgie area of Edinburgh, Scotland.
Black Dog is a brand of blended Scotch whisky produced by the Indian beverage company United Spirits Limited (USL), a subsidiary of Diageo.
United Spirits Limited, abbreviated to USL, is an Indian alcoholic beverages company, and the world's second-largest spirits company by volume. It is a subsidiary of Diageo, and headquartered at UB Tower in Bangalore, Karnataka. USL exports its products to over 37 countries.
Grand Old Parr is a blended Scotch whisky produced by Diageo in Scotland. Is named after the Old Tom Parr, the reputed oldest man in England. Launched in 1909, it is found in export markets such as Japan, Mexico, South America and the United States, and is no longer distributed in the United Kingdom.
Glen Spey distillery is a single malt Scotch whisky distillery in Rothes, Moray at the centre of the Speyside whisky producing area of Scotland.
Cameronbridge distillery is a grain whisky distillery located in Cameron Bridge, Scotland.
Logan is a blended Scotch whisky brand created in 1903 and belonging to Diageo.
Coleburn distillery is a inactive Scotch single malt whisky distillery in Longmorn, Elgin in Scotland.
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As of 1 July 1935
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