Scottish whisky market slides into supply glut amid falling sales and US tariffs

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 3 min read 100% complete by Lauren AlmeidaDecember 23, 2025 at 04:46 PM

AI Summary

medium article 3 min

The Scottish whisky market is experiencing a supply glut due to declining global sales and US tariffs. Scotch sales have fallen for three consecutive years, with a 3% drop in the first half of 2025. US tariffs, despite a recent trade deal, continue to cost the industry an estimated £4 million per week, impacting sales and jobs. Major producers like Diageo are scaling back production, pausing operations at some distilleries and reconsidering investments. A broader decline in alcohol consumption is also contributing to the downturn, with US sales, the largest market, falling 6% in the first nine months of 2025.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Teaninich Distillery 40% Roseisle Maltings 40% Johnnie Walker 50% Talisker 50% Lagavulin 50% Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) ×260% Donald Trump 70% Keir Starmer 80% United States ×380% Diageo ×390%

Keywords

scottish whisky 100% supply glut 90% us tariffs 80% falling sales 70% distilleries 60% alcohol consumption 60% production cuts 50% trade deal 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.40

Source Transparency

Source

The Guardian - World News

Political Lean

Center-Left (-0.40)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

United States

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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scottish whisky supply glut us tariffs falling sales distilleries alcohol consumption production cuts trade deal

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