First Minister in Washington with the Scotch Whisky Association

John Swinney flew to Washington D.C. on Monday to press for a better deal on Scotch Whisky tariffs with the US.

The current tariffs are costing £4 million per week.  

With just over a week to go before President Trump’s second State Visit to the UK, the First Minister is joined on the trip by a delegation from the Scotch Whisky Association. They plan to jointly engage with representatives of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) to advocate for a better deal including, ideally, zero-for-zero tariffs on spirits as part of the ongoing UK-USA trade negotiations.  

The trip is intended to directly support The Scottish Government’s key priority to grow the economy with Scotland’s whisky industry employing more than 20,000 workers, many in rural areas.     

The First Minister said: “During President Trump’s visit to Scotland in July, we succeeded in putting whisky firmly on the trade agenda and I pledged to do whatever I could to help get a better tariff deal.   

“The negotiations themselves are, of course, for the UK negotiating team but during this trip we are partnering with industry to promote the interests of Scotch Whisky – a key economic interest and iconic Scottish product – and make the case for a better tariff deal.  

“We will argue that the reduction of tariffs is in the interests of the United States as well as Scotland. The United States is the largest market for Scotch whisky but Scottish distillers also spend hundreds of millions of dollars every year buying Bourbon casks from Kentucky.  

“With President Trump’s state visit imminent, these are critical days on which hopes of a better tariff deal for Scotch Whisky rest. We are here to make sure we have done everything possible to get the best deal for Scotland.”    

Scotch Whisky Association Chief Executive, Mark Kent, said: “The First Minister’s visit to the United States to press the case for removal of Scotch Whisky tariffs is a positive and timely intervention ahead of the President’s forthcoming State Visit to the UK.     

“The current 10% tariff is costing the Scotch Whisky industry £4 million a week in lost exports, with businesses losing out on investment, employment and growth. Scotch Whisky and US Whiskey share a close and longstanding trade relationship, and industries on both sides welcome the First Minister’s leadership on this issue and his efforts to strike a deal which will benefit communities in Scotland and across the US.”