Suntory time! Spirits giant snaps up London gin distiller Sipsmith

Owner of Jim Beam, Yamazaki, Laphroaig and Courvoisier brands buys controlling stake in artisan distillerThe London gin maker Sipsmith has been swallowed up by Beam Suntory, the world’s third-largest spirits company, as it tries to tap into surging demand for handcrafted tipples.
The Japanese owner of Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark, Teacher’s and Courvoisier is thought to have paid as much as £50m to buy out Sipsmith’s shareholders, including Sam Galsworthy and Fairfax Hall