Short answers, pulled from the story.
Diageo was formed in 1997 from the merger of Guinness plc and Grand Metropolitan plc. Shares began trading on the London Stock Exchange on the 17th of December 1997. The name was created by the branding consultancy Wolff Olins, combining the Latin word for "day" and the Greek root for "earth".
Diageo's distilleries produce 40% of all Scotch whisky, across more than 24 brands. The company operates numerous malt and grain distilleries across Scotland, including well-known sites such as Lagavulin, Talisker, and Oban.
Diageo announced the closure of the Kilmarnock blending and bottling plant in July 2009 as part of a business restructuring, moving work to its sites at Shieldhall and Leven. The closure made 700 workers unemployed and was opposed by local politicians including SNP MSP Willie Coffey and Labour MP Des Browne. The plant closed in March 2012 and was subsequently demolished.
Diageo agreed in August 2011 to pay more than US$16 million to settle civil regulatory charges that it made improper payments to foreign officials through subsidiaries. The payments were made to secure sales and tax benefits for brands including Johnnie Walker and Windsor Scotch whiskies.
In September 2025, Ontario Premier Doug Ford staged a public protest against the decision to close the Crown Royal whisky bottling plant in Amherstburg, which was set to eliminate 180 jobs by February 2026. Ford poured a bottle of Crown Royal onto the ground at a press conference and called the decision "dumb as a bag of hammers". Ontario's annual purchases of Diageo products exceed C$740 million.
As a legacy of the 1997 merger, Diageo inherited several non-beverage businesses and sold them to focus on drinks. The Pillsbury Company was sold to General Mills in July 2000, and the Burger King chain was sold to a consortium led by Texas Pacific for US$1.5 billion in December 2002. The Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire was sold to the Ennismore Group in July 2015.