July 30th 2025: Eyes on US tariffs and other news
The US tariff situation, EU and UK, Suntory and price hikes, rum producers and the US market, Killarney Brewing & Distilling closes down, moderation trend, Indian spirits and more...
The Spirits Post is an international press review about the spirits industry brought to you by , 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!
My eyes are firmly on the tariff situation today. While there is no official update on how the EU-US deal impacts spirits specifically, I've gathered some insightful articles to help you build a comprehensive view of the situation.
But tariffs aren’t the only news in today’s press review. Let’s begin…
EU-US trade deal: Spirits industry still in limbo
There’s still no clear update on EU-US trade deal regarding spirits. Details remain vague and it’s uncertain weather wine and spirits will be included in the zero-tariff list mentioned by Von Der Leyen, or if they will face the same 15% tariff applied to other goods.
For the moment, all I can do is suggesting some articles on the topic.
Here is an article concerning Cognac by Charente Libre:
Taxe américaine de 15 % : le cognac évite le pire, mais reste dans la ligne de mire de Donald Trump
Rachel Arthur’s report on Beverage Daily offers further insights:
US and EU strike tariff deal: What does it mean for beverage alcohol?
For a comprehensive overview of the market and export situation for some of Europe's main producers and appellations, you can check out this article by Emma Rumney and Jessica DiNapoli on Reuters:
And for a more general explanation, Francesco Bertolino and Mario Sensini from the Italian national newspaper Corriere della Sera provide this:
Guida completa ai dazi: l’accordo Usa-Ue, l’impatto sui prezzi e chi pagherà il conto
Meanwhile, Keir Starmer also met Donald Trump
Again, no concrete update from their discussions, though it is known they covered whisky.
You can read this report by David O'Sullivan, Serge Duchêne and A.P. on EuroNews:
SWA and DISCUS released a joint statement about tariffs
You can find it on the Scotch Whisky Association’s website:
And on DISCUS’s website:
Suntory considers price increase for premium whisky in the US
In a statement reported by Bloomberg, Co-Chairman and CEO Takeshi Niinami indicated the multinational firm is still considering raising US prices for its premium whisky lines. The company acknowledges an over-reliance on the US market and may look to shift its products to Asian markets if tariffs get worse.
You can read the article on Bloomberg (subscription required):
Suntory to gauge US Consumer Sentiment for Whisky Price Hike
Or on The Japan Times:
Suntory will gauge U.S. consumer sentiment for whisky price hike
Rum producers seek alternatives to US market
This product category has been impacted by declining sales in the US, leading producers to look for alternative strategies and markets.
A feature by Claire Dodd on The Spirits Business highlights this trend:
Company news
Killarney Brewing & Distilling closes down
Irish Killarney Brewing & Distilling Company has entered liquidation after failing to find a new investor, resulting in 54 redundancies.
Article by Rupert Hohwieler on The Spirits Business:
Something to read
Eyes on the moderation trend
The IWSR recently released a report on the evolving moderation trend. You can read it on their website here:
Modi Illva’s strategy for Indian spirits
Modi Illva is a joint venture between Delhi-based spirits producer Umesh Modi Group and Italy-based Illva Saronno. The company owns six brands, including whisky and vodka.
Shay Waterworth interviews Managing Director Abhishek Modi for Drinks International:
That’s all for today. I’ll see you on Friday ;)
Cheers!