Bourbon distilleries pause anticipated expansion plans due to Trump tariffs [Video]

As Trump negotiates with other countries for better trade agreements, what are Kentucky distilleries, looking to expand outside the U.S., doing in the meantime?

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The uncertainty surrounding President Donald Trump’s tariff policies have led some Kentucky bourbon distilleries to make significant changes to their expansion plans.

Brough Brothers Distillery CEO Victor Yarbrough says they’ve paused long-anticipated aims to export their product to countries like Canada.

“With Canada in particular, that’s still no bueno. [It’s] going to be a while, I believe, before we get any type of traction there in terms of resolution with the tariffs,” Yarbrough said. “We’re still going back and forth on a few countries.”

The trade wars have put some of the distillery’s international growth on hold, Yarbrough says.

“We can handle 10 percent,” he said, speaking about tariffs. “We definitely don’t want to see a 25 or 50 percent. That’s almost a nonstarter.”

It’s been nearly four months since WHAS11 first talked to Yarbroughabout the looming tariffs, …