Trump removes UK whisky tariffs after royal visit
Move covers Scotch, Northern Irish and other UK spirits and draws industry response
UK – Following a state visit by King Charles III and Queen Camilla, US President Donald Trump announced that the United States will remove tariffs on whisky imports from the United Kingdom, ending a 10% baseline duty introduced in April last year in a post shared on Truth Social on 30 April 2026.
He said the policy shift was tied to cooperation between Scotland and Kentucky in bourbon production and barrel exchange, while the UK Department for Business and Trade confirmed the measure applies to all UK whisky categories, including shipments from Northern Ireland.
The Office of the US Trade Representative later stated that the revised framework will provide preferential duty access for UK whisky alongside selected American goods receiving similar treatment under the updated trade arrangement.
Trump also said in his remarks that the decision followed discussions linked to the royal visit, adding that long-standing trade ties and the use of wooden barrels in spirit ageing influenced the move.
The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States said the change marks an important adjustment for the hospitality sector, arguing it improves certainty for producers operating across the Atlantic.
The American Whiskey Association also welcomed the development, pointing to shared supply chains between American whiskey, Scotch whisky, Irish whiskey and UK spirits that connect agriculture, barrel production and tourism-linked trade.
Scotch Whisky Association chief executive Mark Kent said industry stakeholders had pushed for a return to zero tariff conditions between whisky and bourbon, noting that the decision could restore smoother commercial exchange between the two sectors.
Industry figures released earlier indicated that global Scotch whisky shipments declined by 4% last year, while exports to the United States dropped by more than 9%, with worldwide export value reaching about US$6.7bn and the US market contributing roughly US$1.17bn amid pressure from earlier tariffs.
Spirits companies including Pernod Ricard and Ian Macleod Distillers said the removal of tariffs is expected to ease planning for US market operations, with smaller producers highlighting reduced uncertainty in export distribution and long-term sales arrangements.
Sign up HERE to receive our email newsletters with the latest news and insights from Africa and around the world, and follow us on our WhatsApp channel for updates.
