Allied Domecq

Allied Domecq PLC was an international company, headquartered in Bristol, United Kingdom, that operated spirits, wine, and quick service restaurant businesses. It was once a FTSE 100 Index constituent but has been acquired by Pernod Ricard.

History
Allied Domecq was the result of a 1994 merger between Allied Lyons and Pedro Domecq S.A. Allied Lyons itself was the result of a 1978 merger between Allied Breweries and the food and catering group J. Lyons and Co.

In early 2005, a takeover bid for the company was launched by French-based rival Pernod Ricard S.A. Pernod Ricard successfully completed acquisition on 26 July 2005 and sold off the overlapping spirits brands to U.S.-based competitor Fortune Brands and British-based multinational Diageo. On 12 December 2005, Pernod Ricard announced that it had agreed to sell the restaurant businesses (Dunkin' Brands) to a consortium of three US private equity firms (Thomas H. Lee Partners, the Carlyle Group and Bain Capital LLP) for $2.43 billion. The closing of the sale occurred on 1 March 2006.

Portfolio at time of takeover
Allied Domecq's spirits division operated a combination of nine core global brands, plus a selection of local market leaders. Their product portfolio included:


 * Ballantine's whisky
 * Teacher's Highland Cream whisky
 * Laphroaig, a malt whisky from Islay
 * Scapa distillery
 * Courvoisier cognac
 * Canadian Club whisky
 * Kahlúa coffee liqueur
 * Malibu, a coconut-flavoured rum-based spirit
 * Maker's Mark, a Kentucky bourbon whiskey
 * Montana Wines, a large New Zealand wine producer.
 * Mumm champagne
 * Perrier-Jouët champagne
 * Don Pedro Brandy
 * Stolichnaya vodka
 * Tia Maria liqueur
 * Cockburn's Port
 * Harvey's Bristol Cream sherry
 * Curtis No. 1 whisky

Brands acquired by Fortune Brands:
 * Sauza Tequila
 * Courvoisier cognac
 * Canadian Club whisky
 * Clos du Bois and other Sonoma and Napa wine brands
 * Laphroaig malt whisky
 * Maker's Mark bourbon
 * Teacher's Highland Cream whisky
 * Cockburn's port
 * Harvey's Bristol Cream sherry
 * Larios gin
 * DYC whisky
 * Fundador Spanish brandy
 * Centenario Spanish brandy
 * Kuemmerling German bitters