Anything the government can do to help whiskey producers to keep the lights on while the EU negotiates on its tariff response, would be welcome.
That’s the view of June O’Connell, founder and director of one of Kerry’s leading whiskey brands, Skellig Six18, whose distillery is in Cahersiveen.
95% of Irish whiskey is exported, of which 45% goes to the US; June O’Connell says that is going to change probably indefinitely and irretrievably due to the 20% tariff.
She says it’s right for Ireland to negotiate as part of the EU rather than go it alone.
June O’Connell says anything the Irish government can do domestically to help with costs while those negotiations continue, would be welcome.
June O’Connell says at present, Skellig Six18 will continue with a planned launch in Washington DC and Maryland, but the US tariffs will force them and other producers into markets in the east and in Canada.
