From Johnnie Walker to Tsingtao Beer, These Are the Alcohol Brands Hit Hardest by Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ Tariffs

Without the benefit of hindsight, it's hard to know whether or not April 2 will go down in history books as "Liberation Day." On that none-too-warm Wednesday afternoon, President Donald Trump posed in the White House Rose Garden with a big chart and an even bigger plan, announcing reciprocal tariffs ranging from 11% to 50% on nearly half of the world's nations. Whether those tariffs stick — as many of the current administration's have not — is yet to be seen. Alongside auto parts, produce, electronics and coffee, alcohol is poised to take center stage. But which booze brands in particular, and why? The below list is by no means exhaustive. If anything, it's the exact opposite. The "Liberation Day" plan targeted around 90 countries, effectively impacting tens of thousands of alcohol brands worldwide. Were you to omit countries subject only to the "baseline" 10% tariff, you'd still be left with dozens of nations and a whole lot of liquor math left on your hands. For the sake of clarity, we've condensed the tariff plan down to a handful of regions especially known worldwide for their alcohol output. Among those that didn't make the list are Jamaica and the Dominican Republic, famous rum capitals hit with a 10% tariff; India, for which a 26% tariff will impact brands like Amrut and Old Monk; and Switzerland, subject to a 31% tariff that'll effect gin and absinthe.

European Union

The E.U. faces an across-the-board 20% tariff. Summing up all the beer, wine and liquor brands that originate from the region would be near impossible in a single article, so it's perhaps more helpful to focus on the biggest players. France is the only country in the world to produce cognac, champagne and armagnac, while Italy is responsible for iconic aperitifs like Campari, Aperol and Amaro Montenegro. Ireland is home to Guinness and Jameson (of course, alongside everything else dubbed an Irish whiskey), and Germany is famous for Jägermeister and an endless well of beer brands. Poland is known for best-selling vodka brands like Żubrówka and Belvedere; Sweden for Absolut Vodka; Austria for Mozart Liqueur. Beyond spirits and ale, the region is particularly well known for its wine. The E.U. regularly exports upwards of 15 billion euros worth of wine per year, accounting for over 60% of the world's supply. Among the most famous with protected designations of origin include sherry wine from Spain and Madeira wine from Portugal. All of the above sit as a precipice far beyond the scope of the "Liberation Day" announcement. Last month, President Trump threatened a 200% tariff on all wines, champagnes and alcohol products originating from the E.U. The threat — intended as a rebuttal to the E.U.'s 50% tariff on American whiskey, itself a rebuttal the United States' 25% tariff on steel and aluminum — has yet to come to fruition. If it does, expect prices to increase sharply.

Vietnam

Few countries will face the brunt of "Liberation Day" quite as hard as Vietnam, which was hit with a 46% tariff rate. That's the sixth highest rate imposed last week behind Lesotho (50%), Saint Pierre and Miquelon (also 50%), Cambodia (49%), Laos (48%) and Madagascar (47%). Many speculated that Vietnam would be among the top on the list. Ahead of the tariff announcement, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had referred to a group of nations as the "Dirty 15," an ill-conceived nickname for the 15% of countries that account for the largest trade deficits with the U.S. Though Bessent didn't refer to any countries by name, the implications were obvious. According to the Commerce Department, Vietnam had the fourth-largest trade deficit with the U.S. in 2024 behind China, the E.U. and Mexico — all of which have been singled out in Trump's tariff push in one form or another. Vietnam's biggest alcohol exports, by far, hail from Sabeco Brewery. Responsible for internationally recognized brands like Saigon Beer and 333 Beer, the company has an annual production capacity exceeding 2.2 billion liters spread across 26 factories. Its products are widely available at outlets like Total Wine, though Sabeco has never disclosed its exact export volume to the U.S.

Japan

A 24% tariff on Japanese imports will affect a vast swathe of alcohol products, perhaps more so than any region apart from the E.U. and U.K. One of the biggest players in the country is Suntory, the spirits firm behind whisky brands like Yamazaki, Hakushu, Toki and Hibiki alongside gin and vodka brands like Roku and Haku. The company is also responsible for -196°C, the third best-selling spirits brand worldwide in 2023 with a reported 27.8 million cases. Though Suntory operates side-by-side with American firm Jim Beam under the umbrella of "Suntory Global Spirits," many of the company's historic products are produced exclusively in Japan. Beer is another staple of the Japanese export market, famous names including Asahi, Sapporo, Kirin and Orion. The country is also known for umeshu plum liqueur and shōchū, a spirit often confused for the more popular soju that originates from South Korea. From a category perspective, one of the chief casualties of the tariffs may prove to be sake. The Japanese rice wine has slowly but surely established itself as a global player over the past decade, benefitting from trending popularity in states like New York and California. When it comes to tariffs and alcohol, however, the first thing to check is always the protected designation of origin — one that sake lacks. Since the wine can legally be produced in the U.S., we may see American-made sake emerge as a cheaper alternative if the tariff bout with Japan drags on. The same trend may soon take hold for American agave spirits, which are often positioned as direct competitors to Mexican tequila and mezcal.

China

China has been hit with a 34% tariff that'll be applied on top of an existing 20% import duty. As of Monday, Trump is threatening an additional 50%. All said and done, the total tariffs levied on China could amount to well over 104%. Though China has repeatedly found itself front and center in tariff discussions, the country isn't particularly known for its alcohol industry — at least, within the United States. Chinese consumers are especially fond of baijiu, a liquor typically distilled from fermented sorghum grain that accounts for over 95% of the country's spirits consumption. It's a $167 billion industry that's barely, if ever, found its footing in North America. Instead, Americans are most familiar with Tsingtao Beer, an iconic century-old export headquartered in Qingdao. According to the most recent sales information gathered by GlobalData Consumer, Tsingtao was the third best-selling beer in the world in 2017. The number one spot was claimed by Snow Breweries, another Chinese favorite that only recently expanded distribution to the U.S.

South Korea

South Korea faces a 25% tariff that's poised to impact the country's soju industry. Though soju, a neutral spirit usually made from rice or fermented grain, isn't exclusive to South Korea, few regions rival its prolific output. Many Americans may be surprised to learn that the best-selling spirits brand in the world is Jinro, a Korean soju that shipped 97.4 million cases in 2023. That’s more than the total sales of Johnnie Walker, Jack Daniel’s, Jose Cuervo, Jim Beam and Smirnoff, combined — plus a few million cases to spare. The brand enjoys popularity in a wide variety of flavors including Plum, Green Grape and Strawberry. Unlike baijiu, soju is widely available in the United States and other international markets.

United Kingdom

Apart from a 25% tariff on car imports, the U.K. has not been targeted with any additional fees apart from the 10% baseline tariff. If you're a drinker, however, that 10% tariff is about to be applied to a whole lot of recognizable names. First and foremost is scotch, which has a protected designation of origin exclusive to Scotland. Johnnie Walker is the best known of the bunch, followed closely by a melange of reputable brands including Laphroaig, Glenfiddich, The Macallan, Ardberg and Bruichladdich. Famous gin distillers are also on the chopping block, including but not limited to Gordon's, Tanqueray, Beefeater and Bombay Sapphire. This is where some of the fascinating oddities of the liquor industry begin to rear their head. Had the U.K. not voted to withdraw from the European Union in 2020, all of the above brands would be subject to a doubled tariff rate under the "Liberation Day" plan. In many ways, it's a superficial distinction in a globalized market. Irish brands like Guinness and Bailey's will face a 20% tariff while Scottish brands like Johnnie Walker and Tanqueray face 10%; behind the scenes, all of these examples are owned by the same multi-billion-dollar firm responsible for distilleries in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Mexico, the Netherlands and beyond. [callout-app-promo]