Whiskey Families Top Wealthiest Lists

By Richard Thomas

In the latest edition of the Richest Families List from Forbes magazine, the Browns of Brown-Forman just managed to wiggle into the Top 20, with their $11.6 billion fortune earning them 20th place.

The Browns are the de facto owners of Brown-Forman, the American drinks giant that owns the world’s second-ranked whiskey brand, Jack Daniel’s. Other valuable brands in Brown-Forman’s portfolio include Woodford Reserve, Korbel, and Southern Comfort. Although Brown-Forman is a publicly traded company, most of the stock on the market is Class B, non-voting stock, whereas the family controls more than 70% of the Class A voting stock.

Earlier this year, the Grant Gordons of William Grant and Sons were named the wealthiest family in the Sunday Times Rich List, based on their £1.9 billion fortune. Unlike Brown-Forman, William Grant and Sons is owned entirely by the Grant Gordons. The company is the third-largest producer of Scotch whisky, and the owner of such well-known brands as Grant’s blended whisky, Glenfiddich, The Balvenie, and Hendricks gin.