April 2, 2026: US and UK spirits exports in detail and other news
DISCUS's 2025 American spirits exports report and FDF's Trade Snapshot 2025 in detail, Pernod Ricard and Brown-Forman in merger talks, Suntory cancels construction plan in Scotland, India and more...
The Spirits Post is an international press review about the spirits industry brought to you by Eugenia Torelli, an Italian spirits journalist and judge. If this newsletter was forwarded to you by a friend, you can subscribe here to receive it directly in your inbox:
Hello everyone!
Here I am again, after a long pause. I’ve been navigating that tricky work-life-interests balance lately, but I’m finding my rhythm again.
Today, we have a significant amount of data to dig into, including the DISCUS report on US spirits exports and the latest figures from the UK. I’ve tried to look beyond the headlines you might see in the mainstream press to unpack what these reports actually mean for us. I’ve summarised the most significant data below—and for the record, this analysis is entirely human-made. I’m a total nerd when it comes to market figures, and I couldn’t let an AI have all the fun!
You will also find a round-up of some of the most significant news from the spirits world this week.
Enjoy.
US spirits export beyond the headlines
The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) has released its 2025 American spirits exports report, and the figures clearly reflect the heavy impact of tariffs and global trade tensions. Here are the key figures I’ve pulled out for you:
Global decline: Spirits exports dropped by 3.8% globally.
The Canada factor: The ban on US spirits in Canada was the single hardest hit to exports, which plummeted by 70% year-on-year across the provinces.
Whiskey struggles: The whiskey category is suffering the most, losing 19% globally and 35% in the EU.
Dominant category: Despite the decline, whiskey remains the most exported category by far, even though it recorded its lowest market share in 2025 (45%, worth US$1,075m).
EU importance: The EU remains the largest single market for US spirits, accounting for 51% of global exports.
Growth spots: Brazil and the UK saw the most considerable increases in US spirits imports.
Inventory surge: American whiskey inventory has increased by 126% since 2012 (rising from 475 million to 1,075 million proof gallons).
A little context… While reviewing these figures, it is worth remembering a few broader facts:
The value of US spirits exports in 2025 was more than five times higher than in 2000 (rising from US$478m to US$2,369m).
The number of US distillers has grown from fewer than 100 to more than 2,300 today.
The “zero-for-zero” tariff agreement was crucial in enabling this long-term growth.
You can read the full report here:
DISCUS’s official press release here:
UK spirits exports beyond the headlines
The UK Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has released its report on the country’s 2025 trade performance. Whisky remains the crown jewel of UK exports. Here are the most significant highlights for our industry:
Top spot: Whisky is the UK’s top exporting category, worth £5.5 billion in 2025. This accounts for a 21.48% share of the UK’s total food and drink exports
Performance: Whisky exports decreased by 0.8% in value and 4.3% in volume.
European demand: Exports to Europe are worth £1.5bn, making it the UK’s top exported product to the continent with a 10.14% share of all trade (the value of total exports to Europe is UK£14.8b).
Market share: Europe absorbs more than 27% of UK whisky exports by value (£1.5bn out of £5.5bn).
Gin figures: UK gin is the tenth largest export category, valued at £602.6m (a 2.34% share of total food and drink exports).
Gin vs Whisky: Globally, gin is performing better than whisky in terms of growth, but we should be cautious: while volume increased slightly (+0.3%), the 13.7% increase in value is likely heavily influenced by inflation.
A little context:
The UK’s total food and drink exports reached £25.6bn in 2025.
Europe remains the UK’s most vital trade partner, representing 62.5% of global exports.
Ireland and France are the top export markets globally, followed by the US.
For those who’d like to have a closer look, here is the full report, including imports:
You can read FDF’s official press release here:
For a more detailed comparison with pre-Brexit performance, you can view the 2019 report here:
Industry highlights
Pernod and Brown-Forman in merger talks
In what would be a seismic shift for the industry, the two spirits giants, Pernod Ricard and Brown-Forman, are discussing a potential merger. The news was first reported by Bloomberg and spread rapidly before being confirmed by both companies.
You can read Ryan Gould, Ruth David, Michelle F Davis, and Crystal Tse’s report in Bloomberg:
Pernod Ricard Weighs Deal for Jack Daniel’s Maker Brown-Forman
You can read the official statements here:
Suntory drops plans for whisky facility in Scotland
The drinks giant Suntory has abandoned its plans to build a £150m whisky warehouse in Kilmarnock (East Ayrshire, Scotland). The company has indicated that the investment will now be redirected to other projects.
You can read more in Jonathan Geddes’s article for the BBC:
Something to read
Understanding Indian spirits market
Yes, markets again. I’ll try to stay more on the stories in my next newsletter. The Spirits Business released some sponsored-but-good content by the IWSR that I think is worth reading if you are interested in the Indian market (no author mentioned):
That’s more than enough for today, I think.
Have a great day and see you soon! 😉