Neat, or with a twist of lemon and a large ice cube? Whiskey, Scottish whiskey that is, is back on the menu after President Trump announced late yesterday via Truth Social that he has dropped the tariffs.
In Honor of the King and Queen of the United Kingdom, who have just left the White House, soon headed back to their wonderful Country, I will be removing the Tariffs and Restrictions on Whiskey having to do with Scotland’s ability to work with the Commonwealth of Kentucky on Whiskey and Bourbon, two very important Industries within Scotland and Kentucky. People have wanted to do this for a long time, in that there had been great Inter-Country Trade, especially having to do with the Wooden Barrels used. The King and Queen got me to do something that nobody else was able to do, without hardly even asking! A wonderful Honor to have them both in the U.S.A. President DONALD J. TRUMP
On the heels of quite the visit from King Charles and Queen Camilla, this is both an economic and social benefit for both countries in numerous ways. Per Politico…
The Scotch industry has lobbied the administration to eliminate the 10 percent tariff on its whisky for months, with support from American distillers. The lobbying effort hinged on two arguments: That the U.S. is the largest consumer of Scotch whisky and that Scotland spends hundreds of millions of dollars a year importing oak barrels from Kentucky distillers.
“People have wanted to do this for a long time, in that there had been great Inter-Country Trade, especially having to do with the Wooden Barrels used,” Trump wrote.
Kentucky bourbon is required by law to be aged in new, charred oak barrels. After those barrels are used, Kentucky distilleries often sell them to Scottish distillers, so they can be used to store and age their spirits.
Both the Kentucky and Scottish whisky industries have been hurt by Trump’s trade war. Scotch exports to the U.S. were down 15 percent in 2025, according to the Scotch Whisky Council, and U.S. whisky exports were down 19 percent in 2025, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. Most of the decrease in U.S. whisky exports, which did not see a retaliatory tariff, was due to a loss of exports to Canada.
In other words, this move will benefit the American whiskey industry from the big guys (Blanton’s, Jameson, Buffalo Trace, etc), but will also serve as a benefit to the amazing Scottish whiskey distilleries. Talisker, Glenmorangie, Glenfiddich, Glencairn, and so many more. Whiskey distilleries that have been in Scotland for centuries will benefit from the lifting of these tariffs.
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