Beam Global Spirits & Wine and The Edrington Group Launch International Sales and Distribution Alliance

Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc., and The Edrington Group today launched their new international sales and distribution Alliance. The Alliance spans 24 international markets and generates combined sales of more than US$1.5 billion (GB£1.07 billion; €1.16 billion). Designed to simplify routes-to-market, the partnership brings both companies closer to customers and consumers across the globe.

Beam Global and Edrington worked together, as two of the four shareholders, in the Maxxium Worldwide sales and distribution network for ten years. The new agreement, announced in September 2008, preserves and builds upon that successful partnership.

The new agreement calls for either joint venture or wholly-owned sales and distribution companies across the 24 markets. Beam Global and Edrington are each responsible for the strategy, marketing, innovation and new product development for their respective brands. The 24-market agreement is structured as follows:

• Beam Global and Edrington will have joint ownership of the Maxxium organizations in the following markets: Spain, United Kingdom, Russia, China, Hong Kong and Travel Retail.
• In 12 markets, Beam Global will distribute both the Beam Global and Edrington portfolios: Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and Cambodia.
• In six markets, Edrington will distribute both Edrington and Beam Global brands: Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Taiwan and South Korea.

In addition, throughout the Alliance markets, the strong Beam Global and Edrington portfolios of leading international brands will be complemented by established local brands and third party brands, such as the Bols range of liqueurs and premium white spirits.

"The agility afforded by this partnership brings Beam Global and Edrington closer to our consumers and enables us to respond more quickly to emerging market trends,” stated Donard Gaynor, senior vice president and managing director, international, for Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. "This growth-focused Alliance improves the efficiency of our business in international markets while empowering our employees to become leading brand-building entrepreneurs.”

"By combining our extensive portfolios, we cover every consumer occasion in spirits,” said Bill Farrar, group sales and marketing director, The Edrington Group. "Our streamlined structure allows us to grow our market share in established and high-growth markets, as well as respond to regional tastes with a wide range of national brands. The competitive edge the Alliance offers is that it enables both companies to grow while becoming more targeted and focused regionally.”

Donard Gaynor and Bill Farrar co-chair the Alliance shareholder board. The Alliance accounts for 90 percent of Beam Global and Edrington’s sales previously generated through Maxxium. Other markets will be handled by third-party distribution arrangements.

About Beam Global Spirits & Wine:

Inspiring conversations around the world, Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc., is building brands people want to talk about. Consumers from all corners of the globe call for our brands, including Jim Beam® Bourbon, Sauza® Tequila, Canadian Club® Whisky, Courvoisier® Cognac, Maker's Mark® Bourbon, Laphroaig® Scotch Whisky, Cruzan® Rum, Larios® Gin, Whisky DYC®, Teacher's® Scotch Whisky, DeKuyper® Cordials and Liqueurs and Knob Creek® Bourbon. Beam Global Spirits & Wine is part of Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE:FO), a leading consumer brands company recently named one of the World’s Most Admired Companies by Fortune magazine. For more information on Beam Global Spirits & Wine, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, visit www.beamglobal.com and www.drinksmart.com.

© 2009 Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc., Deerfield, IL

About The Edrington Group:

The Edrington Group is Scotland's leading international premium spirits company, best known for producing The Famous Grouse, the best selling whisky in Scotland for the last 29 years. Its portfolio also includes the premium single malts, The Macallan, the number two malt whisky brand in the world by value; Highland Park, the "best spirit in the world" (Spirits Journal); and Cutty Sark, the first light coloured whisky of exceptional quality. In February 2008, the group acquired a 60 percent stake in Brugal, the leading golden rum in the Caribbean. Edrington is privately-owned, based in Glasgow, has 10 sites around Scotland (including five distilleries), employs over 850 people in Scotland and 1,100 in the Dominican Republic and had a turnover of £291.5 million in the 12 months to end March 2008 (excluding Brugal). It exports to over 100 countries and has a corporate strategy of focusing more resources on developing its premium whisky and rum brands to leading positions in international markets. Edrington is controlled by a charitable trust, The Robertson Trust, which gave a record £8.4 million to a wide variety of charitable causes last year.

Please enjoy our brands responsibly www.edringtongroup.com; www.drinkaware.co.uk

For contact details of the Beam Global and Edrington Alliance markets please go to www.maxxium.com.