LOUISVILLE (Ky.) — American whiskey exports were battered by tariffs in the aftermath of the pandemic. However, distillers still have a lot to recover from, according to an industry group.
According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, the 2021 exports of bourbon and Tennessee whiskey amounted to $975 million. This is an increase of 15 percent over the previous year. The record-setting $1.2 billion was reached in 2018, but the total for last year was down 18%.
American whiskey distillers were involved in a transatlantic trade dispute, which caused deep drops in exports of American whiskey to the European Union — its largest overseas market.
In response to Donald Trump’s decision in mid-2018 to impose tariffs on European aluminum and steel, the EU imposed a retaliatory tax on these spirits.
In late 2021 , a deal was made to lift the tariffs on American spirits.
The nation’s largest spirits exporter is Tennessee, followed closely by Kentucky.