Hennessy Cognac Brandy Heidsieck & Co. "Dry Monopole" Champagne Delaforce Port Lillet Apertif Manuel Fernandez Sherry Hill Thomson Queen Anne Scotch Whisky Marie Brizard et Roger Liqueurs Captain Morgan Rum Seagram "V.O." Canadian WhiskyA few years later TBH acquired the agency for Chauvenet Burgandies.
In 1951 the Company merged with Justerini & Brooks to create United Wine Traders.
In 1959 E. Price Hallowes retired and passed the "Dry Monopole" agency to his son, Geoffrey M. Hallowes. The agency representation had always been a personal one to the Hallowes family by Heidsieck & Co. This arrangement continued until 1962, when IDV was created and a more formal agreement became neccessary.
In 1962 United Wine Traders bought W. & A. Gilbey and because the Company was now not only an Agency house, a wholesaler and a retailer, but also an international distiller and a vinyard owner it was considered appropriate to change its name to International Distillers and Vitners. Geoffrey therefore became a founder director of IDV and remained on the main board for 21 years.
In 1962, IDV was run by the Boards of its various subsidiary companies. Geoffrey's first appointment was as a Director of Gilbey, Twiss, the UK agency, wholesale and distributing company, which was the selling arm on the domestic UK market. At this time the agency for Heidsieck & Co. "Dry Monopole" Champagne had been held by the Hallowes family for over 80 years and in respect of Hennessy Cognac Brandy for 122 years. The agencies for "Dry Monopole" and Hennessy were relinquished by IDV in the 1970s and 1980s respectively.
In late 1962 Geoffrey was made Director in charge of the European Wine Companies, which compromised Chateau Loudenne - just north of Bordeaux - and Croft in Portugal. These two Gilbey companies had been in the Gilbey portfolio since 1875 and 1908 respectively. Geoffrey was more a "wine" man than a "spirit" man, hence his appointment to the European Wine companies. He also spoke French and German and had on occasions when it was neccessary said a few words in Spanish and Portuguese. He never attempted Italian.
Over the next six years IDV expanded its interests in Europe and by 1975 had not only a Company in Italy and Germany, but also two companies in Spain and had enlarged its interests in Portugal to include Delaforce Port, and had bought Piat in Burgandy which owned Bellicard in Avignon. Later, as part of a streamlining operation, the interests in Italy and Germany were sold, and an European selling arm created.
In 1972 the European Wine Companies became known as "IDV Europe" of which Geoffrey became its first Chairman. In 1976 he relinquished his executive responsibilities in IDV Europe, but remained on the main IDV board until his retirement in 1983.
Of course, this describes only a small part of the IDV operation. IDV Europe, IDV Home Trade, the Scottish Distilleries, Canada, Australia, South Africa and the operations in the USA were all financially much greater and the success of IDV lay in the strong support it gave to the marketing of its international brands - J. & B. Scotch Whisky, Smirnoff Vodka, Gilbey's Gin, Bailey's Irish Cream, Piat d'Or, Malibu and others. In 1996 IDV owned 5 of the top 20 spirit brands in the world. Smirnoff is the second largest spirit brand in the world.
IDV grew steadily every year. In 1972 it was bought by Grand Metropolitan. With the increased financial muscle provided by this parent company, IDV went from strength to even greater success and greater strength. In 1994/95 Grand Metropolitan spent over £1 billion on existing brands, developing new brands, entering new markets and merging relevant acquisitions and alliances. This strategy followed what IDV had always done, the reason for its success - support for its brands.
In 1998 Grand Metropolitan merged with Guinness; the Company is now called DIAGEO.