Diageo plc, 8 Henrietta Place
London W1G ONB
Tel: +44 (0) 207927 5200
Viewer's Comments about J & B

J&B's history dates back to 1749 when Giacomo Justerini, an Italian from Bologna, came to London to woo the Italian opera singer, Margherita Bellino. Spurned, he remained in London and set himself up as a wine merchant in Pall Mall with his English partner, George Johnson. Together they ran a very fashionable and successful business catering to London's high living aristocracy.

In 1760 Johnson and Justerini won the first of their nine Royal Warrants (as suppliers of fine wines and spirits to the Royal Household) from King George III. Years later on June 17, 1779 Johnson and Justerini advertised their fine wines and spirits and liqueurs in The Morning Post. This included 'Usquebaugh' - the original name of whisky and the first recorded advertisement in J&B's history.

Alfred Brooks bought the business from the third generation of Johnsons in 1831 and renamed it Justerini and Brooks.

In the 1930s, J&B Rare as we know it today was born. It was created primarily for when Prohibition in the United States was lifted to give Americans something palatable after all the illegal moonshine they had been drinking.

In 1958 J&B became a regular in Las Vegas. It was enjoyed on stage by many of the stars of the time such as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr who featured the brand not only in their shows but also 'about town' in the evening.

In 1962 J&B Rare was introduced to Spain and it grew to become the No. 1 whisky. It took off in the USA in 1963 and sales reached one million cases. The same year the originator of J&B Rare, Eddie Tatham retired. And by the 1970s, J&B Rare was established throughout Europe.

Each time you sip J&B Rare, 42 different whiskies pass through your lips. They are carefully blended together to create a subtle, smooth and complex flavour. The delicate balance is what gives J&B Rare its distinctive character. If even one whisky was taken away, you would taste the difference.

The heart of J&B Rare is formed by Speyside Malt Whiskies. They provide the fruity, fresh quality you can taste and give J&B its light colour. Speyside is recognised as the superior area in Scotland for making malts. Added to that are some of the finest grain whiskies Scotland has to offer. They help reveal the individual flavours of the various malts, unveiling the pleasant, smooth character of J&B Rare.

J&B is the No. 1 Scotch whisky in Europe and the No. 2 in the world with its delicate rounded and balanced flavour which produces a uniquely smooth, long lasting and satisfying taste.

Courtesy of J&B

The following four distilleries contribute to J&B Rare - Knockando, Strathmill, Glen Spey and Tamdhu. All are all located in the center of Scotland's great whisky industry - the Speyside region.

Knockando Distillery
Foremost among the distilleries along the banks of the chill, clear waters of the Spey stands Knockando. Built by John Thompson in 1898 the Knockando distillery lies in the village of the same name, derived from the Gaelic ‘Cnoc-an-dhu,’ meaning ‘little black hill.’

Strathmill Distillery
Strathmill distillery was originally built from a converted corn mill in 1891. Because of its proximity to the river Isla, the distillery was renamed the Glenisla-Glenlivet distillery. It was then acquired by W&A Gilbey (gin company) in 1895 and renamed Strathmill distillery. The new owners changed the name so that it reflected the history of the facilities. Strathmill means 'the mill in the long valley'.

Glen Spey Distillery
In 1885 Glen Spey-Glenlivet Distillery was built and put into production by James Stuart, Esq.. Prior to this, the site was known as the Mills of Rothes and as James Stuart is initially described as both Corn Merchant and Distillery, it would appear that the site exercised two separate functions. In 1887 the distillery was purchased by W & A Gilbey Ltd., of London. Gilbey also purchased Strathmill and Knockando Distilleries.

Tamdhu Distillery
The word Tamdhu is derived from the Gaelic meaning 'Little Dark Hill' and the name sets it apart from the numerous "Glens" distilled in Speyside. It was founded in 1897 by a group of local people and one year later was purchased by Highland Distillers. Tamdhu Distillery remains the only distillery to malt all of its own barley.