Potential new import tariffs ahead: is whisky about to get pricier again?

There’s a real chance the drink of the gods is about to get a touch pricier. The United States isn’t too happy with Europe and is threatening fresh import duties. Whisky could easily end up footing the bill again. The reason? It all ties back to Google, which was just hit with a monster fine. Here’s what’s going on.

The EU has slapped Google with a massive 890 million euros fine for breaking the rules. The U.S. is anything but pleased and is urging the EU to reverse the decision.

If not, Washington may pile more on top of existing trade tariffs. And this comes just a day after confirming new import duties for sixty of America’s trading partners. But what does a U.S. tariff hike mean for whisky? Let’s break it down.

The “big winner” is Scotland’s distilling industry. Those trade tariffs won’t touch them. As of July 24, Scotch and other British whiskies are back to a zero-duty rate. The U.S. trade watchdog, the USTR, deliberately carved that category out of its broader tariff action targeting sixty countries.

Earlier this year, the U.S. president moved to lower tariffs during the state visit of King Charles III and Queen Camilla to the White House.

Beyond that UK exception, the outlook is far less festive. Japanese whisky falls under the U.S.–Japan trade deal, where Japanese whisky, shochu, and sake are hit with a 15 percent duty. That stings a category that’s been on the rise: in recent years, Japanese whisky has been gaining U.S. market share, but this levy could seriously throw a wrench in the works.

The deal also affects the EU. Since the 2025 trade agreement, most European exports face a 15 percent tariff, locked in until 2029 and with no carve-outs for alcohol. The Irish whiskey sector, in particular, is nervously watching Washington. Ireland has no standalone deal with the U.S. and falls under the broader EU framework. The Irish whiskey world has already taken its fair share of hits and more may be coming. But the EU isn’t sitting still.

Behind the scenes, the EU is negotiating hard. The European Commission has handed the U.S. a list of hundreds of products for which it wants exemptions. Wine, beer, and spirits are all on it. France and Italy are lobbying for their wine, Champagne, and cognac, while U.S. spirits group DISCUS is pushing to expand the exemption to Irish whiskey and other European categories.

But the new threat tied to the Google fine throws everything into doubt. As long as the U.S. keeps framing the EU as an adversary, talks could stall on a headline. Until there’s