Between trade developments, regulatory changes, market trends, and breakthrough innovations, keeping up with craft spirits news can feel like a full-time job. This new monthly digest does the heavy lifting for you by condensing the month’s most significant news into a concise, must-read briefing. It publishes on the last Wednesday of every month.
Stories We’re Following
Distill Ventures Aftermath
The impact of Diageo’s closure of its Distill Ventures’ accelerator program continues to come into focus. Westward Whiskey in Portland, Oregon, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on April 6, 2025. Stauning, another Distill Ventures investment in Denmark, has cut about one quarter of its workforce, mostly in the United States, following the announcement.
Other Notable Closures
Boston Harbor Distillery in Dorchester, Massachusetts, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on April 3, 2025.
Garrard County Distilling in Lancaster, Kentucky, was placed into emergency receivership after less than 15 months in operation. The closure was a spectacular downfall for the brand new $250 million facility. The building’s general contractor had sued the distillery’s owners for $2.2 million in unpaid invoices, and one of the distillery’s lenders, Truist Bank, says they’re owed $26 million in loans.
Tariffs
After a temporary pause on many the large “reciprocal tariffs” imposed by the Trump administration earlier in April, furious country-by-country negotiations continue to inject uncertainty into import and export markets.
The uncertainty comes just as U.S. spirits exports have emerged as a bright spot. In 2024, U.S. spirits exports increased to their highest-ever value, $2.4 billion, illustrating the stakes of the tariffs.
“U.S. spirits exports hit a new high in 2024, recapturing lost market share since the UK and EU lifted retaliatory tariffs that were applied between 2018-2021 in connection with two trade disputes,” said DISCUS President and CEO Chris Swonger in a press release. “Unfortunately, ongoing trade disputes unrelated to our sector have caused uncertainty, keeping many U.S. distillers on the sidelines and curtailing sales growth. The EU’s recent decision not to reimpose a retaliatory tariff on American Whiskeys and other U.S. spirits is a positive first step toward getting the U.S.-EU spirits sectors back to zero-for-zero tariffs and untangling spirits from these trade disputes.”
Docket Updates
The Obscure Distillery in California is suing the New York State Liquor Authority alleging discrimination in New York’s alcohol shipping laws, which allow in-state producers to ship directly to New York consumers but do not extend that privilege to out-of-state producers.
A federal judge has rejected a lawsuit from New York distillery Shady Knoll Orchards & Distillery against the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board that claimed Washington State law discriminated against out-of-state distilleries engaged in interstate commerce.
Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits and Provi have reached a provisional agreement to settle the antitrust lawsuit filed by Provi in 2022. Provi’s suit against RNDC is continuing forward.
Need to Know
Nutrition Information
April 17, 2025 is the deadline to submit comment to the TTB on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding nutrition information and allergen disclosures.
ADI 2025
Registration for the 2025 ADI Craft Spirits Conference & Expo in San Antonio, Texas, is now open.
