American Whiskey Report March 2025

Unfortunately, the biggest news this month is trade wars stacked on top of trade wars, and your favorite adult beverage is squarely in the crosshairs. Several distilling companies have already begun slashing staff, from Brown Forman to Green River to Diageo. If there’s a brand you want to see stick around, you had better start buying. Everyone wants a bottle of whiskey for any occasion! Now, for all the whiskey news, you can use.

Product Releases

2025 Lost Lantern Spring Finish Collection

Lost Lantern’s spring collection is all finished whiskeys, six whiskeys from six distilleries in five states finished with various casks including pommeau, honey, nocino, and more.
Woodford Reserve’s latest Distillery Series release is The Chocolate Whisperer Redux 139.4, a 12 year old Bourbon. The brand has also released its 2025 Kentucky Derby bottle.
Lux Row has released a small batch Albariño Cask Finished Bourbon available at the distillery only.

A. Smith Bowman Cask Strength Virginia Bourbon

A. Smith Bowman has released its fourth Cask Strength Virginia Bourbon.
Bardstown Bourbon Company has released Cathedral Oak, a Bourbon rested in 300 year old French Oak barrels made from Oak harvested to restore the Notre Dame Cathedral.
Michter’s has released its latest US*1 Barrel Strength Rye whiskey, clocking in at 110.5 proof.
Chattanooga Whiskey has announced a new Rye Single Barrel series, uncut, unfiltered, malt-forward Tennessee Rye Whiskeys. The distillery has also released Experimental Batch 043: Pre-Prohibition Style straight Bourbon whiskey.
The World Whiskey Society has released its Doc Holliday 10-Year-Old straight Bourbon Whiskey.
Talnua has released Olde Saint’s Keep 2025, a pot still whiskey made from 50% malted barley and 50% unmalted barley.
High West has released its 2025 Bourye, a blend of Bourbon and Rye whiskeys aged at least 10 years.
George Remus 9 year Bourbon aged in Seguin Moreau barrels has been released.
Westward Whiskey has released a collaboration with Fort George, Brewery Stout Cask American Single Malt.
15 Stars has released Three Ports Bourbon, a blend of 9 and 15 year Bourbon finished in Tawny, Ruby, and White Port barrels.
Yellowstone Bourbon has a new 6 year old small batch 107 proof Bourbon out that will be a permanent line extension for the brand.
Cedar Ridge Distillery has two new releases - a port cask finished Bourbon and a port cask finished Rye.

People News

DISCUS, the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, has appointed Lydia Parnes and Ben Chandler to the Outside Advisory Board of the DISCUS Code of Responsible Practices for Beverage Alcohol Advertising and Marketing. This is one of the trade organizations that helps distilled spirits manufacturers self-regulate to prevent a recurrence of Prohibition.

Other News

Frey Ranch has joined the Estate Whiskey Alliance, a trade organization that provides guidance and accreditation for whiskeys made from grains grown on land owned or controlled by the distiller or distillery corporation. The University of Kentucky’s Estate Whiskey Alliance has launched an Estate Distilling Certification program. Additional members include Maker’s Mark, Minden Mill, and Whiskey Acres.
Pursuit United Spirits has started offering P Club, a whiskey club where participants can choose which whiskeys to receive.
India has reduced its 150% tariff on Bourbon to 100%.

Green River is using ghosts in its latest marketing campaign, the first marketing campaign for the brand in over 100 years since it was revived in 2022.
The Bourbon Capital Alliance has declared June 10-15, 2025 National Bourbon Week.
J. Mattingly 1845 has partnered with the Navy SEAL Foundation on a series of whiskeys, and $30 from the sale of each bottle will go directly to the foundation.
Buffalo Trace is opening applications for 100 charities to receive 100 Bourbon sets for fundraising purposes, open thru June 11, 2025.
Hogshead is a new online barrel marketplace for buying and selling bulk whiskey.
Lofted Spirits has launched as the parent company of both Green River and Bardstown Bourbon Company, and the company will also include Lofted Custom Spirits for contract distilling partners.
Whiskey Tariffs are back on. According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, “a 25% tariff on distilled spirits imports from Mexico and Canada could lead to a loss of more than 31,000 U.S. jobs.”
There are now beverage alcohol tariffs with the European Union. According to DISCUS President Chris Swonger, “The U.S.-EU spirits sector is the model for fair and reciprocal trade, having zero-for-zero tariffs since 1997. The U.S. spirits sector supports more than $200 billion in economic activity, 1.7 million jobs across production, distribution, hospitality and retail, and the purchase of 2.8 billion pounds of grains from American farmers. We urge President Trump to secure a spirits agreement with the EU to get us back to zero-for-zero tariffs, which will create U.S. jobs and increase manufacturing and exports for the American hospitality sector. We want toasts not tariffs.”

Yellowstone National Parks Conservation Association

Yellowstone Bourbon has donated $1 million to the National Parks Conservation Association since 2018 with its most recent donation of $250,000.
The trade war is seriously impacting the smaller craft distilleries. According to Margie A.S Lehrman, CEO of the American Craft Spirits Association, “On behalf of our community of more than 3,000 independent craft distilleries, the American Craft Spirits Association (ACSA) remains deeply concerned about the ongoing and expanding number of trade disputes, now with the EU, UK, Canada, and Mexico. Our spirits have no connection to the ongoing trade disputes over steel and aluminum, yet our small business community—already struggling in a challenging marketplace—is being used as leverage. Craft spirits exports were ravaged by the trade wars in Trump's first term, especially among small distillers. They've seen very little recovery in the years since, and now that business is being ground down even further. The current events four years later are both unfair and unjust and we urge the Administration to advocate for a multilateral agreement that ensures the free trade of distilled spirits and begins to help America's small businesses, which are the backbone of the US economy. Our industry cannot afford another blow to our already struggling small businesses.”
Southern Distilling has formed Statesville Contract Distilling offering contract distilling in North Carolina.
The Bourbon Women Association’s SIPosium scholarship applications are open.

Bourbon Classic’s Cocktails and Culinary Challenge Judges Best Pairing

The Bourbon Classic’s Cocktails and Culinary Challenge winners have been announced:

Judges’ Choice Best Cocktail: Representing Castle & Key Distillery, Bartender: Anthony Cox, Castle & Key Distillery, Cocktail: Guava Nice Day
Judges’ Choice Best Small Plate: Representing Heaven Hill Brands, Chef: Dallas McGarity, The Fat Lamb, Dish: Tandoori Spice Rubbed Berry Beef Tenderloin with Bourbon Barrel Foods Aged Kentucky Sorghum Sweet Potato Cream, Zhug and Pomegranate Molasses
Judges’ Choice Best Pairing: Representing James B. Beam Distilling Company, Bartender: Lee Caldwell, The Kitchen Table, Cocktail: Whiskey Waddle, Chef: Created by: Chef Deniz Burns, The Kitchen Table, Dish: Duck Commander Ducketta, Turnip Puree Barley Szechuan Sorghum Gastrique
People’s Choice Best Cocktail: Representing James B. Beam Distilling Company, Bartender: Lee Caldwell, The Kitchen Table, Cocktail: Whiskey Waddle
People’s Choice Best Small Plate: Representing Angel’s Envy Distillery, Chef: Chef Kento Kobayashi, Shoku Club, Dish: Pork Belly Kara Miso Yaki
People’s Choice Best Pairing: Representing James B. Beam Distilling Company, Bartender: Lee Caldwell, The Kitchen Table, Cocktail: Whiskey Waddle, Chef: Created by: Chef Deniz Burns, The Kitchen Table, Dish: Duck Commander Ducketta, Turnip Puree Barley Szechuan Sorghum Gastrique