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Diageo – From London to the whole world

Approximately 33,000 employees are employed worldwide at Diageo, the market leader in premium spirits, with Smirnoff (vodka), Johnnie Walker (whiskey), J&B (Scotch whiskey), Baileys (liqueur), Captain Morgan (rum), Cuervo (tequila) and Tanqueray (gin), Guinness beer and branded wines. Production takes place all around the world: from Great Britain and Ireland, Italy, Spain and Africa, to the USA, Canada, Latin America, Australia, India and the Caribbean. The global corporation emerged in 1997 from the merger between Guinness and GrandMet. 180 markets around the world are handled from its London headquarters.

A lot of work and lots of attention to detail go into creating the in-depth product descriptions on Diageo’s website. Information and analysis is provided about issues ranging from detailed descriptions of the production down to the most minute ingredients. Finally, they are aware of the size of their company and also of their responsibilities as a supplier of alcoholic products. The name Diageo was also deliberately chosen – it represents their agenda. Put together from ‘dia’ (the Latin word for ‘day’) and ‘geo’ (the Greek word for ‘world’), it means that every day people are celebrating all over the world with products from their company. These products open up possibilities never dreamed of for special days and nights, marking special life events and even making the smaller things in life feel magical.

Participation in the World Spirits Award was magical: there was double gold for Tanqueray No. 10 (Spirit of the Year 2016), gold for Gordon’s London Dry Gin and Tanqueray London Dry Gin, as well as silver for Tanqueray Rangpur.

Modus-Vivendi -Small fruits with a big history

There are plenty of stories surrounding the history of damassine plum - small, violet fruits in the plum family. The botanical name of 'prunus damascena' is indicative of the probable origins of the fruit: Damascus in Syria. The Roman gourmet and most famous author of cook books in Antiquity, Marcus Gavius Apicius, praised the fruit in one recipe as a delicious accompaniment to lamb. It then found its way to Europe through the Duke of Anjou who discovered the fruits in around 1220 during a crusade to Jerusalem. During the Middle Ages, the trees grew predominantly in the gardens of the royal houses and parishes.

At the end of the 16th century, planting began on the South banks of Lake Biel in Switzerland and the Jura mountains seemed particularly suited to plum varieties. Harvesting damassine plums is very time-consuming and therefore they rarely come to market for fresh consumption. And their use in fine brandy has so far also only been of local significance. As they say in the Jura region: "A good meal without a glass of damassine brandy is like a day without sunshine".

The young Modus-Vivendi company in Biel has brought a new name and exclusive equipment to this 'historic distillate' in order to increase the product recognisability. The raw materials are provided by Roger Grimm and Adrian Eberhard, who planted hundreds of damassine shrubs in an ideal south-facing location in Luescherz, on the South banks of Lake Biel, from 2003 to 2008. The owner of Grillette Domaine De Cressier, J. P. Mürset, also represents a partner who has been heavily involved with the cultivation of damassine plums in Le Landeron since the 1990s.

This speciality product from the Swiss lakes region was awarded a bronze medal at its première at the World-Spirits Award.