News Notes: New Tariffs in U.S. Canada Trade Fight, The Latest On Uncle Nearest & More

Trump Administration to Impose 50% Tariffs on Canadian Alcohol Imports

President Trump is again escalating his trade war with Canada, imposing a 50% levy on most Canadian goods, effective in 30 days. The president attributed the new tariffs to Canada’s ongoing boycott of some American products, including American wines and spirits.

According to reporting from NPR, the president signed three tariffs into effect under Section 338 of the 1930 Trade Act. The outlet reports that minerals, fish, potash, and energy goods would be exempt from the new 50% tariffs, but goods previously covered by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) would be included since the U.S. declined to renew the pact, which Trump negotiated in his first term.

With Canadian spirits included in this round of tariffs, the beverage alcohol industry will again be impacted by an unrelated trade war. Since President Trump began his tariff campaign against our northern neighbor, most Canadian provinces have removed American spirits from shelves, with exports to Canada falling more than 70% from March to December 2025, according to Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS).

“Imposing a 50% tariff on imported spirits from Canada deepens trade tensions and raises the risk of further retaliation at a time when many U.S. hospitality businesses continue to face financial hardships,” said DISCUS president and CEO Chris Swonger. “We encourage policymakers on both sides of the border to pursue a negotiated solution that restores market access for U.S. spirits and avoids further harm to the U.S. hospitality sector.”

A 50% tariff will be especially difficult for Canadian whisky producers, many of which see substantial sales in the U.S. Category leaders like Diageo’s Crown Royal and Sazerac’s Fireball will face artificial headwinds during an already challenging time for the industry. Last year, Crown Royal declined 5.8% to 6.9 million cases in the U.S., including flavors, and Fireball slipped 2.5% to 7.7 million cases, according to Impact Databank.

“We encourage policymakers in both countries to use this moment to reach a negotiated solution that ends discriminatory restrictions on U.S. spirits, restores commercially meaningful access for American whiskey, and returns the U.S.-Canada trading relationship to the fair, open, and reciprocal footing expected between close allies,” said Michael Bilello, president and CEO of the American Whiskey Association.—Shanken News Daily

Jack Daniel’s Alabama Cooperage to Close

Alabama Cooperage, which supplies barrels for Jack Daniel, announced that it’ll be closing its doors on September 14th. According to the plant’s Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification notice, 71 employees will be impacted by the closure. Owner Independent Stave Company (ISC) decided to align its production with cooling demand.

Formerly known as the Jack Daniel Cooperage, this was one of several barrel-making outposts owned by Brown-Forman, owner of Jack Daniel, Old Forester, and Woodford Reserve, among others. The company once prided itself on making its barrels in-house, investing in cutting-edge equipment across its cooperages. But as Brown-Forman has moved to cut costs in recent years, it sold off its cooperages and outsourced its barrel making. The Alabama unit was sold to Independent Stave Co. (ISC) in 2024 with the understanding that the Jack Daniel’s barrels would still be produced there. The following year, it shuttered the iconic Louisville cooperage, which was also purchased by ISC for over $13 million.

Apogee 21 Acquiring Kentucky Distiller Luca Mariano and California’s Rod & Hammer

Nevada-based Apogee 21, parent company of A21 Wine & Spirits (which owns the Noble Oak and John Lee Hooker whiskeys, among other spirits brands), has successfully bid on the bankrupt Kentucky-based Luca Mariano Distillery for $19.5 million, as reported here. Additionally, Apogee 21 has signed a letter of intent to buy Rod & Hammer’s, a distillery in San Luis Obispo, California that makes a variety of bourbon, rye, and blended whiskeys. That purchase also includes the distillery’s canning line, its entire inventory, tasting room, trademarks, and other brand assets.

Uncle Nearest Sacks the Weavers Amid Fraud Investigation

Phillip Young, Jr., the receiver appointed to manage the troubled Tennessee distillery Uncle Nearest, recently filed a quarterly report that revealed two bombshell updates. Chiefly among them, he confirmed that he received subpoenas from both the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the Securities and Exchange Commission as part of a federal fraud investigation into Fawn and Keith Weaver. Young also revealed that, effective June 1st, he terminated both Weavers from the company and has since been attempting to restrict their access to its facilities and systems.

This is just the latest turn in an ongoing legal nightmare surrounding Uncle Nearest, which began last August when the distillery fell into receivership. Weeks ago we reported that the distillery’s Humble Baron bar filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and was facing eviction from the property. Now it seems that the distillery itself could be headed in the same direction. Young disclosed that he has retained the services of an outside counsel to assist in a potential pre-packaged Chapter 11 filing to help sell off the company’s assets.

New Spirits Release

Goose Island's 2026 Bourbon County Stouts

Chicago Brewery Goose Island has announced the return of its annual Bourbon County Stout series. This year’s collection counts six beers, and, in keeping with tradition, all of them were aged in bourbon barrels.

• Original Stout: Aged an average of 13 months in barrels from Buffalo Trace, Heaven Hill, Four Roses, and Wild Turkey
• Tiramisu Cask Stout: Aged in bourbon barrels and finished in rum casks infused with espresso, cocoa nibs, and vanilla
• Apple Crisp Stout: Aged in bourbon barrels with apple, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, oats, and panela sugar
• Proprietor’s Stout 2026: Inspired by pineapple upside-down cake, this was bourbon barrel-finished with pineapple, Montmorency cherry, and panela sugar. Chicago Exclusive
• Triple Oak Barleywine: Aged in a mix of chinquapin, French, and Hungarian oak casks, all of which were previously used to finish Angel’s Envy Triple Oak
• Toasted Barrel Rye Stout: Aged in barrels that previously held Elijah Craig Toasted rye and finished in Elijah Craig Toasted bourbon barrels

Compoveda Tequila Releases Latest Añejo Aged in Bourbon and Red Wine Barrels

Compoveda has expanded its portfolio with a new añejo. Aged for 8 months in bourbon barrels then transferred to Stag's Leap cabernet barrels for 8 months, the double-barrel aged expression is designed to bring together whiskey, wine, and tequila enthusiasts. Crafted in Los Altos, Jalisco, it’s bottled at 40% ABV. It joins the brand’s blanco, reposado, and flagship extra añejo, the inaugural tequila that launched the brand in 2020. The $120 bottle is available at select retailers nationwide and online.