How a good old fashioned boycott got Canada to trade Kentucky bourbon for Canadian whisky

A bourbon boycott launched by Canadian consumers in response to President Trump's 2025 tariff war and annexation rhetoric has dramatically reshaped the country's whisky market. Exports of bourbon to Canada plummeted 60% year-over-year from January to September 2025, falling from 41.3 million to 16.4 million units according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. This decline is part of a broader slump in U.S. spirits exports, with shipments to Canada dropping from $330.7 million in Q2 2024 to $290.3 million in Q2 2025. Whisky expert Davin de Kergommeaux notes that while bourbon had been popular in Canada since the 2010s, the boycott has created unprecedented demand for Canadian alternatives. Ontario's Maverick Distillery now bottles Kentucky bourbon under the 'Kentucky whisky' label due to Canadian trade restrictions, while other distillers create bourbon-style substitutes. The movement has particularly benefited Canadian craft whisky makers who struggle to keep up with demand.