In his Louisville distillery, Victor Yarbrough, co-founder of Brough Brothers Distillery, stands surrounded by white oak barrels filled with aging Kentucky bourbon. While checking his emails on his laptop, Yarbrough receives a slew of mostly negative messages, with some expressing anger and frustration towards the impact of tariffs on his business. One email from a Canadian farmer hints at a potential boycott lasting several years due to trade tensions between the U.S. and Canada.
The influx of emails followed Yarbrough’s media appearances discussing how the tariffs have adversely affected Brough Brothers Distillery, the sole Black-owned bourbon distillery in Kentucky. Yarbrough finds the emails hurtful, particularly as he fondly recalls his past visits to Toronto.
The ongoing trade war has led to retaliatory tariffs between the U.S. and Canada, prompting some provinces to remove American alcohol, including Kentucky bourbon, from their shelves. This has disrupted Yarbrough’s negotiations with New Brunswick to expand his sales into Canada.
Kentucky’s alcohol industry was already facing challenges prior to the trade war, with Brown-Forman announcing layoffs, and concerns raised by Governor Andy Beshear about potential job losses and impacts on food exports. Despite bourbon not being the top export, it holds significant symbolic value for the state.
While there is strong support for President Trump in Kentucky, particularly in rural areas, some residents express concerns about the tariffs and their impact on both American and Canadian citizens. Nevertheless, many believe in the President’s trade agenda and hope for a positive outcome in the long run.