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Whiskeys, go home!

The beginning of 2025 proved to be a real rollercoaster ride on the international alcohol market, especially in the whiskey trade.

US president Donald Trump’s new trade policy, called Liberation Day, fundamentally changed the rules in April: a 10% general tariff was imposed on all imported products and some countries were even subject to a 50% “reciprocal” tariff. However, several bilateral agreements were reached over the summer, which gradually mitigated the effects.

A new whiskey language

Memphis-based Blue Note has created an unusual, honey-flavoured Honey Cask Bourbon. The three-year-old whiskey is “finished” in American oak barrels that were first used to age bourbon and then honey, before being reused to give the drink a rich sweetness.

According to regulations, whiskey can only be flavoured – except for the barrel flavour – after distillation and aging, i.e., before bottling. The “flavoured whiskey” category is based on traditional whiskey, to which natural extracts, syrups or aromas are added, with the goal of attracting a younger audience. 

Product development based on traditional values

Age-statement whiskeys have become one of the fastest growing categories in the premium segment.

Age-statement claims are back in the spotlight

Longer maturation, respect for tradition and a demand for quality have brought age-statement products back into focus, as they represent a guarantee of authenticity and value for consumers. Both major brands and independent distillers recognise that well-communicated age statements appeal not only to collectors, but also to more conscious, quality-seeking consumers. At the same time, the category is sensitive to economic and logistics challenges. The driving force behind premiumisation remains unbroken: consumers are willing to pay more for rarer, more refined items that have a story, expertise and time behind them.