So today I found myself flicking through the Irish Times business section and I was greeted with a quick caption article (see picture above) about how, drinks giant, Diageo had just purchased Bushmills distillery in Northern Ireland for £200million. A bargain basement price considering that they just sold, the same, Bushmills distillery to tequila giants Jose Cuervo at the beginning of the new year for a reported £400million plus majority stake in a mid range tequila brand.
If this article were true Diageo would have just pulled off the world’s quickest £200million profit making scheme the drinks industry may have ever seen!
After some minor digging into the background of this peculiar story I realised that this is in-fact a direct copy and paste article from April 25th 2005. An article published in the Irish Times after the acquisition of Bushmills by Diageo from Pernod Ricard/Irish Distillers.
Further browsing revealed, what appears to be, the intended article for today’s print edition of the Times, posted on their website claiming that Jose Cuervo are now selling $500million in bonds to finance their recent purchase of this famous Irish whiskey distillery.
Congrats to whatever night editor managed to throw together a lovely half article about Bushmills some…. ten years late to the party.
I’m starting to to think I should read the times more often!
