‘Welcome News’: Kentucky Distillers Applaud Donald Trump’s Decision to Roll Back Tariffs on Scotch Whisky

The Kentucky Distillers’ Association released a statement applauding President Donald Trump’s Thursday decision to remove tariffs on Scotch whisky, calling the move a restoration of reciprocal, tariff-free trade between Kentucky and Scotland’s whisky industries.

The statement follows Thursday’s announcement that the U.S. will eliminate tariffs on Scotch, a policy shift expected to ease pressure on transatlantic whisky trade and reinforce long-standing supply chain ties.

The KDA emphasized the importance of barrel exports, noting that Scottish distillers have long been the largest international buyers of used Kentucky bourbon barrels — a key secondary market created by U.S. regulations requiring bourbon to be aged in new charred oak barrels. Scotland doesn’t have such a regulation, and a majority of scotch whiskies are aged in ex-bourbon barrels.

Economic Stakes for Kentucky

According to the KDA, Kentucky’s bourbon industry contributes more than $10.6 billion annually to the state economy and supports nearly 24,000 jobs.

The group framed the tariff removal as a positive development at a time when bourbon producers continue to navigate broader industry challenges, including shifting global demand and trade disruptions.

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David Morrow is a whiskey critic and the Editor In Chief of The Daily Pour and has been with the company since 2021. David has worked in journalism since 2015 and has had bylines at Sports Illustrated, Def Pen, the Des Moines Register and the Quad City Times. David holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Saint Louis University and a Master of Science in Journalism from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. When he’s not tasting the newest exciting beverages, David enjoys spending time with his wife and dog, watching sports, traveling and checking out breweries.