Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney is optimistic that a deal can be reached with the United States to drop the 10% tariff on Scotch whisky exports after meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House on 10 September.
“There's every possibility that a deal can be made here, because what I was setting out to President Trump and to others is a basis of a deal which benefits not just Scotland but also the United States – and it fundamentally hinges on the impact of tariffs,” Swinney said during a press conference after the meeting.
“Tariffs are having a negative effect on Scott whisky,” he added. “The industry is losing £4mn a week as a consequence of tariffs. It hasn’t got that £4mn to invest in the future of the industry.”
During the meeting, Swinney and a delegation from the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) pressed for zero-for-zero tariffs on spirits as part of the ongoing trade negotiations between the UK and US.
Under Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs, announced in April, most UK exports to the US face a 10% tax.
According to SWA data, global exports of Scotch whisky were valued at £5.4bn in 2024. The US is the industry’s largest market by value, worth £971mn last year.
“Our discussions in Washington DC give the industry hope, and with President Trump’s state visit [to the UK] just a week away, there is momentum to build on as we try to secure a deal which would benefit the communities in Scotland and [the] US,” Mark Kent, chief executive of the SWA, said in a statement.
“Nothing is guaranteed, but the First Minister’s constructive discussion with the president, coupled with the continued efforts of the UK government, mean that the united calls of the Scotch whisky and US whiskey industries to secure a zero-tariff deal have been heard.
While Scotch whisky can only be legally produced in Scotland, distilleries import bourbon casks from Kentucky, which has developed into a £300mn market, Swinney said.