John Swinney to visit Kentucky for whisky talks during US visit

Scotland’s First Minister will visit Kentucky during his trip to America.

John Swinney flew to Boston last week to watch the nation’s first World Cup match for 28 years, where Scotland beat Haiti 1-0.

The SNP leader will now head to the state of Kentucky where he will meet bourbon business leaders.

The Scottish Government said the First Minister aims to “keep up the momentum” for Scotch after US President Donald Trump’s commitment to remove the 10% tariff on whisky.

During his trip, he will co-host a lunch with American bourbon leaders, visit Kentucky Cooperage and Kentucky Bourbon Barrel, and tour a distillery with members of the Congressional Bourbon Caucus.

Trump announced in May that he would remove the 10% tariff on whisky. The move is a big win for Scotland’s national drink, with the American market, its biggest, worth nearly £1 billion.

Whisky exports to the US fell by 4% in value and more than 9% in volume compared with 2024, which the Scottish Government said made “the removal of trade barriers such as tariffs a high priority”.

Swinney said: “Scotch whisky and Kentucky bourbon share a deep, long-standing connection – they’re two of the world’s great spirits and of high value to their respective economies.

“Every year, millions of used bourbon barrels make their way from Kentucky to Scotland, where they’re used to age some of the world’s finest Scotch whiskies.

“The relationship between these two great spirits industries is genuinely symbiotic – each one helps make the other better.

“I have consistently made the case to exempt Scotch whisky from the 10% tariff and was pleased by the president’s announcement that he would remove the tariff for whisky following the state visit earlier this year.

“My visit to Kentucky aims to build on both that shared heritage and President Trump’s commitment to remove the tariff for whisky, in a very important overseas market for Scotch.”