A First for the Drinks Industry: Diageo Archive Achieves Accreditation

The Diageo Archive has achieved Archive Service Accreditation, becoming the first drinks archive to attain this prestigious status.

Diageo is a global leader in premium drinks, with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff, Tanqueray, Gordon’s and Baileys.

The Diageo Archive is the home of the company’s brand history and heritage. For over 35 years, it has preserved and shared the stories behind Diageo’s iconic brands.

Today, it is one of the largest collections in the drinks industry, holding materials dating from the 18th century to the present day.

As a living resource, it supports and inspires marketing, innovation and packaging design across the company’s spirits brands.

The Diageo Archive’s gin collection showcases the rich heritage of Tanqueray and Gordon’s, featuring some of their oldest artefacts dating back to the 1740s.

Highlights include historical recipe books that continue to inspire innovation, iconic advertising, and an evolution of bottle designs from the early 1900s to today.

This significant milestone recognises the dedication, expertise and commitment that have gone into building, preserving and managing the Diageo Archive over the past 35 years.

Reflecting on the achievement, Archive Manager Christine McCafferty said:

“We’re incredibly proud to be the first drinks archive to achieve Archive Service Accreditation. This recognises our commitment to preserving our brands’ heritage to the highest standard, ensuring it remains an inspiring resource for future generations.”

Archive Service Accreditation is the UK standard for archive services, awarded by the UK Archive Service Accreditation Committee.

It demonstrates that an archive service meets the highest standards in collections management, stakeholder access and organisational resilience.