Bacardi, the largest privately held spirits company in the world, acquired Patrón Spirits International, the world’s top-selling ultra-premium tequila producer, for $5.1bn. “Patrón and Bacardi were both founded on the principles of quality, integrity, and innovation, and driven by a sense of fearlessness – it’s in our DNA,” said Facundo L. Bacardi, Chairman of Bacardi. “It has been a privilege being a partner for a number of years with a remarkable entrepreneur like John Paul DeJoria. John Paul’s vision, integrity, and courage are responsible for introducing the world to simply perfect tequila. As we move forward together, we will continue to pursue perfection as the guiding light in everything Patrón stands for.”