Courvoisier(R) Cognac Inspires Luxury Men's Fragrance Products

Deerfield, Illinois, United States , 2006-10-23

Beam Global Spirits & Wine Inc., a unit of Fortune Brands (NYSE:FO), today announces that its flagship cognac brand Courvoisier(R) will become the world's first luxury spirit brand to enter the high-end fragrance market through the launch of Courvoisier(TM) L'edition Imperiale. The gentlemen's fragrance line debuts today at the Tax Free World Association Exhibition (TFWE) in Cannes, France.

Developed by Kraft International Marketing, Inc., a licensing, distribution and marketing firm with twenty years experience and proven success in upscale fragrances, the collection will feature two classes of the fragrance offering; an eau de parfum and an eau de toilette variety. Both will be available for purchase worldwide at high-end retail locations starting in the spring of 2007.

"The unique luxury qualities associated with Courvoisier(R) translate flawlessly into the upscale fragrance arena, reinforcing its image as a desirable and opulent brand," said Larry Plawsky, global vice president of marketing for Beam Global Spirits & Wine.

Courvoisier(TM) L'edition Imperiale targets 25-35 year old males who are ambitious, determined and desire to succeed. These individuals tend to be fashion conscious and believe that authentic premium brands, such as Courvoisier(R), are a symbol of success. While loyal Courvoisier(R) cognac consumers are expected to be positively pre-disposed towards Courvoisier(TM) L'edition Imperiale, the fragrance will appeal to and attract fine fragrance connoisseurs everywhere.

"The launch of Courvoisier L'edition Imperiale makes perfect business sense," stated Larry Plawsky, global vice president of marketing, Beam Global Spirits & Wine. "The Courvoisier brand connects two luxury consumer lifestyle categories in a relevant and compelling way and provides Courvoisier(R) consumers with an opportunity to indulge in another high-quality and opulent Courvoisier(R) product. We are excited about the potential for Courvoisier L'edition Imperiale and have high hopes for its success when it launches in Courvoisier's core global markets in the spring of 2007."

Product Details

Courvoisier(TM) L'edition Imperiale is a fragrance inspired by the fashion and wealth of the Imperial Court of Napoleon, and developed using fine, natural raw materials.

-- Fragrance notes: Courvoisier L'edition Imperiale is not a cognac-flavored fragrance. Top notes for Courvoisier(TM) L'edition Imperiale are cardamom, mandarin, tagette and coriander. Mid notes include atlas cedarwood, smoked tea, royal calla lily and violet, while the dry down contains vetiver, fir balsam, leather and warm amber. Holding true to the brand's 200 plus years of heritage, all Courvoisier fragrances are produced in France.

-- Packaging: Courvoisier(TM) L'edition Imperiale will feature elegant packaging. The cap and shoulder of the bottle is made using zamac, a high-end molded metal, while the rectangular shaped glass bottle will have a slight belly on profile and will be grooved to add the essence of hand-cut crystal. The simple yet rich outer packaging conveys an air of excellence contained within.

-- Pricing: Courvoisier(TM) L'edition Imperiale eau de parfum will retail for more than $100 USD per 75ml bottle while the eau de toilette will retail for slightly lower than $100 USD per 75ml bottle. Both concentrations of the fragrance will also be available in 125ml bottles.

"We are very proud of the fragrance we've produced," stated Paul Baron, vice president, marketing and brand development, Kraft International Marketing. "A great deal of artistry and craftsmanship has gone into developing Courvoisier(TM) L'edition Imperiale. We have incorporated some of the finest natural raw materials to deliver one of the most exclusive fragrances on the market.

Courvoisier(TM) L'edition Imperiale will be available to consumers at select upscale department stores with duty-free locations to follow in key global markets such as Europe, namely the UK where Courvoisier is the #1 selling cognac, Asia, and North America, where Courvoisier is the #3 selling cognac in the US. The global launch will be supported with advertising, in-store promotions and trade show presence.

About Beam Global Spirits & Wine

Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. is the fourth largest spirits company in the world. With nine of the world's top-100 premium spirits in its portfolio, the company's brands hold global and national leadership positions in key categories, including Jim Beam(R) bourbon; Canadian Club(R) Canadian whisky; Courvoisier(R) cognac; Laphroaig(R) Scotch; Sauza(R) tequila; Larios(R) gin; Whisky DYC(R); Teacher's(R) Scotch; and DeKuyper(R) cordials. The portfolio also includes Maker's Mark(R) bourbon, Knob Creek(R) bourbon and The Small Batch Bourbon Collection(R), and Starbucks(TM) Liqueurs. Beam Wine Estates is a top-five super-premium wine company in the U.S., featuring Clos du Bois(R), the number two super-premium U.S. wine brand, and the award-winning Geyser Peak(R) wines. Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. is part of Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE:FO), a leading consumer brands company with annual sales exceeding $8 billion. For more information on Beam Global Spirits & Wine and the company's sales and distribution partners, please visit www.beamglobal.com.

About Kraft International Marketing

Kraft International Marketing is a long established privately-held US Corporation, involved in the worldwide marketing, logistics and distribution of prestige brand-name fragrances since 1983. In recent years, Kraft has expanded it's knowledge base and skill set by creating an in-house licensing and brand development staff dedicated to the creation of luxury beauty products. Kraft, determined in providing maximum customer satisfaction, has consolidated its role as master distributor to focus wholly on in-house brands via licensed partnerships. Through its experience, Kraft has maintained an extensive network of contacts and customer relations whom service key local and duty free channels in over 60 markets worldwide. Having played a key role in the International & Duty Free launches of brands such as Liz Claiborne(R), Gianni Versace(R) and Calvin Klein(R), as well as, the US Launches of brands such as Oilily(R), Diesel(R) & Romeo Gigli(R) -Kraft International is positioned to not only know the needs of these markets, but has the expertise and know-how to meet the changing demands of each market. Fluent in eight languages, member to all key global beauty conferences and a long standing track record in the industry, Kraft is set to leverage its command of global beauty distribution towards its wholly owned and growing, premium brand portfolio.

Courvoisier(R) Cognac, 40% alc./vol.

(C) 2006 Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc., Deerfield, IL.

Contact

CONTACT: Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. Sarah Devaney (1) 847.948.8888 [email protected] or Qorvis Communications Layton Meng (1) 703.744.7823 [email protected] , ,