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Tom Jago Dies at 93; in the Spirits Industry, a Maker of Best Sellers Tom Jago Dies at 93; in the Spirits Industry, a Maker of Best Sellers
(1 day later)
Tom Jago, an inventive British liquor executive who was part of the team that developed Baileys Irish Cream and made it the world’s best-selling liqueur, and later helped establish the Malibu Rum and Johnnie Walker Blue brands, died on Oct. 12 in London. He was 93. Tom Jago, an inventive British liquor executive who was part of the team that developed Baileys Irish Cream and made it the world’s best-selling liqueur, and who later helped establish the Malibu Rum and Johnnie Walker Blue brands, died on Oct. 12 in London. He was 93.
His daughter, Rebecca Jago, said he had fractured his neck in a fall the previous week. His daughter, Rebecca Jago, confirmed the death. She said he had fractured his neck in a fall the previous week.
Mr. Jago was a spirits maven for more than a half-century, reinvigorating old drinks, devising new ones and, in his final years, hunting down casks of forgotten yet still exquisite whiskey in cellars and warehouses in Scotland and other countries to sell in expensive limited editions.Mr. Jago was a spirits maven for more than a half-century, reinvigorating old drinks, devising new ones and, in his final years, hunting down casks of forgotten yet still exquisite whiskey in cellars and warehouses in Scotland and other countries to sell in expensive limited editions.
Baileys came to life in 1973 when Mr. Jago was in charge of new products for International Distillers & Vintners, or I.D.V., a British liquor giant.Baileys came to life in 1973 when Mr. Jago was in charge of new products for International Distillers & Vintners, or I.D.V., a British liquor giant.
He hired the consultants David Gluckman and Hugh Seymour-Davies to concoct a new brand of Irish alcoholic drink. They began by mixing Jameson’s Irish whiskey and cream, which together did not initially taste very good, but adding sugar and powdered chocolate, they found, improved the flavor. He hired the consultants David Gluckman and Hugh Seymour-Davies to concoct a new brand of Irish alcoholic drink. They began by mixing Jameson’s Irish whiskey and cream, which together did not initially taste very good. Adding sugar and powdered chocolate, they found, improved the flavor.
“Tom and I were two friends trying to solve the same problem,” Mr. Gluckman said in a telephone interview. He recalled how Mr. Jago had quickly sent the nascent Irish cream liqueur to I.D.V.’s development group to be refined and then stood by it. “He was a decisive and adventurous client,” Mr. Gluckman added, “and we both knew this was a radically new product.” “Tom and I were two friends trying to solve the same problem,” Mr. Gluckman said in a telephone interview. He recalled how Mr. Jago had quickly sent the nascent Irish cream liqueur to I.D.V.’s development group to be refined, and then stood by it.
Mr. Jago felt strongly enough about Baileys that he hid from his superiors research showing that consumers had rejected it for tasting like something they would take for indigestion. “He was a decisive and adventurous client,” Mr. Gluckman added, “and we both knew this was a radically new product.”
Mr. Jago felt strongly enough about Baileys that he hid research from his superiors showing that consumers had rejected it for tasting like something they would take for indigestion.
“He told the board the research was great, and they started manufacturing it,” Ms. Jago said about her father’s dealings with Gilbeys of Ireland, a part of I.D.V. (which was eventually absorbed into Diageo, the multinational beverage company).“He told the board the research was great, and they started manufacturing it,” Ms. Jago said about her father’s dealings with Gilbeys of Ireland, a part of I.D.V. (which was eventually absorbed into Diageo, the multinational beverage company).
His instincts proved correct. Baileys — the first Irish cream liqueur — sold nearly seven million cases last year, nearly double that of any other liqueur, according to The Spirits Business, a trade magazine.His instincts proved correct. Baileys — the first Irish cream liqueur — sold nearly seven million cases last year, nearly double that of any other liqueur, according to The Spirits Business, a trade magazine.
In 1978, a few years after Baileys reached the market, I.D.V. faced a problem with Coco Rico, a coconut rum. It was being made in South Africa, whose racist apartheid policy had made it an outlaw nation. Mr. Jago renamed the rum Malibu, changed its packaging and repositioned it as a Caribbean-style liqueur. Bottling was moved to England, and eventually to Barbados.In 1978, a few years after Baileys reached the market, I.D.V. faced a problem with Coco Rico, a coconut rum. It was being made in South Africa, whose racist apartheid policy had made it an outlaw nation. Mr. Jago renamed the rum Malibu, changed its packaging and repositioned it as a Caribbean-style liqueur. Bottling was moved to England, and eventually to Barbados.
“He had a failed brand in his locker called Malibu, and immediately we loved the name,” James Espey, who had been marketing director of I.D.V. Worldwide, wrote in an article in International Opulence magazine.“He had a failed brand in his locker called Malibu, and immediately we loved the name,” James Espey, who had been marketing director of I.D.V. Worldwide, wrote in an article in International Opulence magazine.
Today Malibu is the world’s second most popular liqueur, after Baileys, and is owned by Pernod Ricard.Today Malibu is the world’s second most popular liqueur, after Baileys, and is owned by Pernod Ricard.
Thomas Edwin Jago was born on July 21, 1925, in Camelford, a town in North Cornwall, England. His father, Thomas, was a bank manager for Barclays, and his mother, Violet (Bennett) Jago, was a homemaker. He studied history on a scholarship at Christ Church, Oxford University, before serving as an officer in the Royal Navy during World War II. After his discharge he returned to Oxford to complete his degree.Thomas Edwin Jago was born on July 21, 1925, in Camelford, a town in North Cornwall, England. His father, Thomas, was a bank manager for Barclays, and his mother, Violet (Bennett) Jago, was a homemaker. He studied history on a scholarship at Christ Church, Oxford University, before serving as an officer in the Royal Navy during World War II. After his discharge he returned to Oxford to complete his degree.
Mr. Jago moved to the liquor industry in the early 1950s after working as a copywriter at advertising agencies, one of which had Gilbeys as a client.Mr. Jago moved to the liquor industry in the early 1950s after working as a copywriter at advertising agencies, one of which had Gilbeys as a client.
“I was not very good at being a marketing director” at Gilbeys, he said in an interview with the Booze Business, a blog run by Arthur Shapiro, a former Seagrams executive. “So they gave me a small budget, an office and secretary and said, ‘Try and think of some new drinks we might profitably sell.’ ” “I was not very good at being a marketing director” at Gilbeys, he said in an interview with Booze Business, a blog run by Arthur Shapiro, a former Seagrams executive. “So they gave me a small budget, an office and secretary and said, ‘Try and think of some new drinks we might profitably sell.’ ”
One of his first successes at I.D.V. was reviving the Croft pale cream sherry brand.One of his first successes at I.D.V. was reviving the Croft pale cream sherry brand.
But he did not bring a finely tuned palate for liquor to I.D.V., his daughter, Rebecca, said by telephone. “He was taught a great deal by my mother, who was a massive wine fan, so he was influenced by her,” she said. But he did not bring a finely tuned palate for liquor to I.D.V., his daughter said by telephone. “He was taught a great deal by my mother, who was a massive wine fan, so he was influenced by her,” she said.
He left I.D.V. in 1982 to join Moët Hennessy, where he developed a cognac for Davidoff, then joined United Distillers. There, in 1987, he helped launch a brand called Six Classic Malts after assessing the Scotch whisky made at the company’s 32 distilleries. At United, he was working again with Mr. Espey, and together they helped develop what became the premium Johnnie Walker Blue blended Scotch whisky. He left I.D.V. in 1982 to join Moët Hennessy, where he developed a cognac for Davidoff, then joined United Distillers. There, in 1987, he helped launch a brand called Six Classic Malts after assessing the Scotch whisky made at the company’s 32 distilleries. At United he was working again with Mr. Espey, and together they helped develop what became the premium Johnnie Walker Blue blended Scotch whisky.
Mr. Jago later worked for Seagrams. Mr. Shapiro, a former chief marketing officer of Seagrams, said in a telephone interview that Mr. Jago understood that innovation often produced disappointment.Mr. Jago later worked for Seagrams. Mr. Shapiro, a former chief marketing officer of Seagrams, said in a telephone interview that Mr. Jago understood that innovation often produced disappointment.
“He’d say that you have to be prepared for punches to the nose, that someone above the line will say, ‘That’ll never work,’ ” Mr. Shapiro said. “The trick was not to take it personally. He’d say, ‘This is not your child, this is an idea, and if some Luddite kills it, it’s not a member of your family.’ ”“He’d say that you have to be prepared for punches to the nose, that someone above the line will say, ‘That’ll never work,’ ” Mr. Shapiro said. “The trick was not to take it personally. He’d say, ‘This is not your child, this is an idea, and if some Luddite kills it, it’s not a member of your family.’ ”
In addition to his daughter, Mr. Jago is survived by his sons, Barnaby, Dan and Francis; six grandchildren and a brother, Geoff. His wife, Penelope (Vaughan Morgan) Jago, who was a copywriter when they met, died this year. In addition to his daughter, Mr. Jago is survived by his sons, Barnaby, Dan and Francis; six grandchildren; and a brother, Geoff. His wife, Penelope (Vaughan Morgan) Jago, who was a copywriter when they met, died this year.
In 2008, Mr. Jago, Mr. Espey and Peter Fleck, another Gilbeys colleague, formed the Last Drop Distillers, which discovers casks of fine spirits left over in Scotland, France, Portugal and the United States and then packages and sells the product to connoisseurs.In 2008, Mr. Jago, Mr. Espey and Peter Fleck, another Gilbeys colleague, formed the Last Drop Distillers, which discovers casks of fine spirits left over in Scotland, France, Portugal and the United States and then packages and sells the product to connoisseurs.
“These are difficult things to find,” Mr. Jago said in a video on the Last Drop website. “Most very old drinks taste horrible. The wood finishes them off. The evaporation takes the majority of the stuff out.” He added, “We have to find some where the taste has survived and improved.”“These are difficult things to find,” Mr. Jago said in a video on the Last Drop website. “Most very old drinks taste horrible. The wood finishes them off. The evaporation takes the majority of the stuff out.” He added, “We have to find some where the taste has survived and improved.”
In 2017, he was named a Master of the Quaich by the Keepers of the Quaich, an international society devoted to Scotch whisky; it is named after a shallow, two-handled Scottish drinking cup, which is bestowed on honorees. In 2017, he was named a Master of the Quaich by the Keepers of the Quaich, an international society devoted to Scotch whisky. It is named after a shallow, two-handled Scottish drinking cup, which is bestowed on honorees.
In accepting the award, Mr. Jago said, “I shall enjoy my evening dram from my gleaming silver Quaich, and drink the health of the Keepers — a cheerful band.”In accepting the award, Mr. Jago said, “I shall enjoy my evening dram from my gleaming silver Quaich, and drink the health of the Keepers — a cheerful band.”