County Kerry, Ireland – From the rugged western edge of Ireland, where the Atlantic’s ceaseless winds and cool temperatures shape both the land and its people, Skellig Six18 distillery stands as a testament to tradition and defiance. June O’Connell, the visionary behind this craft gin and whiskey maker, always saw America as a natural horizon for her spirits, given the deep-rooted cultural ties and the U.S.'s thirst for premium libations. Yet, as political tides in Washington shift, her journey from County Kerry to U.S. shelves has become a precarious dance with uncertainty.
“Once it became clear which way things were heading, people were trying to get a lot of product stateside ahead of tariffs. We did do some of that, but now warehouses are full, importers are saying don’t send any more, and it’s only the big customers who are getting priority,” O’Connell recently shared, reflecting on the escalating trade tensions.
The latest blow came last weekend: President Donald Trump’s announcement of a blanket 30% tariff rate on EU goods, set to take effect on August 1st, 2025, after last-minute negotiations failed to produce a framework deal. This significant increase from the previous 10% duty has sent shockwaves through industries reliant on transatlantic trade, and Irish whiskey is no exception. While EU officials argue that overall trade is more balanced when services and investments are considered, Trump insists tariffs are necessary to address the substantial goods trade surplus with the U.S.
The looming tariffs cast a long shadow over Skellig Six18’s operations, even as the distillery grapples with its own deeply held philosophy. Just weeks ago, a zealous salesman from a brewing equipment manufacturer presented a shiny new digital distillation system, promising efficiency and reduced costs.
“So you’re not going to rebuild this distillery even if the costs rise and it becomes unprofitable?” the salesman had asked, dumbfounded by the president’s resistance.
The distillery’s president, a man whose resolve is as unyielding as the Kerry coastline, countered, “Yes, the digital distillation system you propose certainly looks great, but if it changes the flavor of our whiskey, who’s going to take responsibility?”
The salesman, clearly exasperated, retorted, “Listen, President, these days people buy whiskey for the label and taste it for the label. Nobody cares about the flavor, taste, body, or aroma.”
But the president held firm, his voice resonating with conviction. “Whiskey flows from the mouth into the body. Got it? It passes through the mouth. The mouth is the most sensitive part of the human body. There you can feel things that can’t be put into words or quantified. I want to protect that and pass it on. I have no intention of changing the current working relationship.”
Defeated, the salesman stuffed his pamphlets and documents into his bag and departed. As the president watched him leave, his son entered, a worried expression on his face.
“Dad, it looks like there’s going to be a huge tariff on whiskey. What are we going to do?”
A chuckle escaped the president’s lips, a sound of both resolve and a touch of pride. “The U.S. is scared of our whiskey. They’re scared of the unique flavor of our whiskey.”
Indeed, while the market grapples with the immediate impact of tariffs, the underlying concern for Skellig Six18 remains the integrity of their product. Irish whiskey, a protected designation, relies heavily on its unique character and provenance. The new 30% tariff could significantly erode already tight margins for Irish producers, who export approximately 37% of their whiskey to the U.S. Despite the pressure to adapt, distilleries like Skellig Six18 are determined to safeguard the very essence of what makes their whiskey unique, even if it means navigating an increasingly challenging global trade landscape. The coming weeks will determine whether a last-ditch agreement can be forged, or if Irish whiskey, with its cherished flavor, will truly test the “scared” appetite of the American consumer under the weight of a new tariff wall.
All names of people and organizations appearing in this story are pseudonyms
‘30% is untenable’: From Irish whiskey to Italian cheese, Trump’s tariff threat rattles EU exporters
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