Courvoisier Cognac Releases Limited Erté Collection
Outstanding Cognac and the Eternal Beauty of Art Exemplify the "Greatness Within"

Deerfield, Ill. - October 7, 2008 - Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. [Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE:FO)], a global leader in premium spirits, and Courvoisier® Cognac, one of the world's leading cognac brands, announces the extremely limited U.S. release of the Courvoisier Erté collection, available this holiday season. Erté is a unique collection featuring a rare blend of Courvoisier cognac reserves in seven limited edition bottles designed by the famed artist in the art deco movement, Erté. This paramount luxury gift exemplifies the detailed craftsmanship of Courvoisier and is the ultimate collectors' item for spirits and design connoisseurs.

Dating back more than 200 years, The House of Courvoisier continues to represent the world's finest cognacs. Combining two of the greatest pleasures in life, outstanding cognac and the eternal beauty of art, the Erté collection was created exclusively for Courvoisier by Erté who was given artistic freedom with the design of the bottle itself and the seven inspired decorative bottle labels. The Courvoisier Erté bottles were originally released from 1988 to 1994; now the final eight sets of the luxurious seven-bottle collection will be available in the US.

To create the exceptionally smooth and well-balanced cognac, a very rare blend of the finest cognacs exclusively from the Grande Champagne region were chosen, including cognac dating back to 1892, the year Erté was born. The cognac blend featured in the Courvoisier Erté collection was chosen by Courvoisier's arbiters of cognac style and quality in order to please the most discerning connoisseurs.

"Courvoisier has a rich history dating back to the Napoleonic era and is the only house to receive the Prestige de la France, France's highest award for excellence. We continue this tradition of luxury by releasing the final bottles of the Erté Collection to the United States during the holiday season, the ultimate luxury gift giving occasion," said Stacey Simmons, senior brand manager, Courvoisier Cognac. "While originally available over 20 years ago, we are now offering Courvoisier connoisseurs the final eight sets of the Erté collection featuring some of the rarest blends we have in stock. Erté reveals the 'Greatness Within' Courvoisier and the craftsmanship that goes into all of our marques."

Erté was born in Russia in 1892 and later emigrated to Paris where he began his career as a fashion designer with Paul Poiret in 1913 and became a famed artist in the art deco movement for over seventy years. In creating the Courvoisier collection, Erté immersed himself in the cognac making process and designed each piece in the series as a different step in the cognac process:

• Vigne (Vine), launched in 1988, shows Erté's knowledge of the importance of the soil and environment to the grapes produced to make cognac. The connection between the earth and the grapes is established transforming raw natural forms into pure elegance.

• Vendanges (Harvest) launched in 1989, celebrates the passion of perfection for which Courvoisier is best known. Erté designed bunches of grapes, bathed in sunshine, set aloft by a female figure that could be Mother Nature herself offering up her greatest work, the grape harvest.

• Distillation, launched in 1990, illustrates the process of distillation as a woman riding a volatile giant peacock that appears as a dragon-like beast just above a dancing flame.

• Vieillissement (Aging), launched in 1991, symbolizes the aging process as a robed female emerging from darkness, displaying a series of oak barrels through parted robes.

• Degustation (Tasting), launched in 1992, shows the blending process of the cognacs. Personified playfully as a nude woman emerging from the turbulent mixture of cognac, the mixture of the images is so complete it's difficult to tell where the liquid ends and the woman begins.

• L'Esprit du Cognac (The Spirit of Cognac), launched in 1993, interprets the Spirit of Cognac as a woman standing majestically surrounded by grapes in front of a pool of Cognac. Completing the cycle from the grape growing to the end product, celebrating Courvoisier and the art of producing cognac.

• La Part Des Anges (The Angels' Share), launched in 1994, symbolizes part of the aging process where some of the spirits' volume is lost through evaporation, referred to as angels' share. Erté has seven playful winged angels encircle a central female; each with an arm stretched out to take their share of the cognac as it ages.

The Courvoisier Erté collection includes eight seven-bottle collection sets and a limited number of individual bottles available in the United States in time for the 2008 holiday season. The 750ml bottles have a suggested retail price of $1,450 individually and $10,000 for the collection. Courvoisier Erté can be purchased while quantities last by contacting your local Courvoisier Sales Representative.

About Courvoisier®
Courvoisier® is one of the four leading cognac houses in the world and continues to excel in the spirits category with its renowned blends including VS, VSOP, Exclusif™, Napoleon, X.O., Initiale® Extra and Courvoisier® Succession J.S. L'Esprit de Courvoisier® is the world's most-exclusive cognac, containing a masterful blend of vintages, including some dating back to the nineteenth century -- the same used to apply to the court of Napoleon and Edward VII. Courvoisier reminds consumers to enjoy greatness responsibly®. For more information about Courvoisier cognac and corporate responsibility visit www.cv-us.com.

About Beam Global Spirits & Wine
Inspiring conversations around the world, Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc., is building brands people want to talk about. Consumers from all corners of the globe call for our brands, including Jim Beam® Bourbon, Sauza® Tequila, Canadian Club® Whisky, Courvoisier® Cognac, Maker's Mark® Bourbon, Laphroaig® Scotch Whisky, Larios® Gin, Whisky DYC®, Teacher's® Scotch Whisky, DeKuyper® Cordials and Liqueurs, Knob Creek® Bourbon and Starbucks™ Liqueurs. Beam Global Spirits & Wine 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, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit www.beamglobal.com and www.drinksmart.com.


Courvoisier® Cognac, 40% alc./vol.
© 2008 Courvoisier Import Company, Deerfield, IL