Happy Friday spirited readers! This week we have a collection of a little bit of everything, including an update on a subject we have covered multiple times in the past.

If you or someone you know is a current or former bartender this next part is for you: I’m looking for current or former bartenders to talk about their experience in the industry specifically related to work/life balance, family leave, and being a parent while working as a bartender. If you or someone you know would be interesting in talking to me (Shayne) and possibly being featured in an upcoming newsletter please reach out at: [email protected]

As always don’t forget to check out our Discord server to chat about all things spirits. Lui is an active member on the server so it is also a nice way to pick his brain if you want a more direct line rather than commenting/DMing on social platforms.

There’s Always a Headline About it but Why is it Such a Big Deal?

Every week when looking for topics to write about there seems to be a new headline about the Canadian boycott of American spirits. It tends to turn me off to writing about it because it seems to be a tired subject with not much movement in either direction. I knew that the boycott was in retaliation to US tariffs on Canadian products but failed to understand the mechanisms at work that have made this boycott so hugely impactful.

Many spirits producers have been watching their sales drop all over the globe but for American spirit makers the timing of global decline in spirit consumption paired with a boycott from Canada “has been devastating”. President and CEO of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, Chris Swonger, told CBC News: “We are suffering. […] We are making our case to the Trump administration strongly in hopes that some common ground can be found." Reports from the Distilled Spirits Council show a 63 percent drop in exports to Canada last year.

How do these numbers play into the overall health of the spirits market in the US? Well, if Canada is excluded from the data, spirit exports would have seen a 2.5% increase for the year but with it included there has been a 3.8% decrease for the year.

The other big question is: why has this boycott been so successful? It turns out, it’s because of the way that the Canadian alcohol market operates. Only 2 out of the 10 provinces in Canada are still selling American made spirits. This is because in Canada provincial governments largely control the alcohol market. The two provinces still importing US spirits have a fully privatized liquor retail system (Alberta and Saskatchewan) whereas the other 8 are “controlled by provincial governments, which operate boards that manage the import and sale of most wine and spirits, giving them broad authority over what is sold.”

The secondary effects are starting to crop up as well, businesses are moving production to escape the crushing weight of the boycotts. The tariffs that Canada are protesting are not in the liquor industry at all, rather, they are in the automotive sector. Since Canada has been so largely impacted by these tariffs they simply hit back where they thought it would hurt most. Some brands are already moving production into Canada to recover the losses they have been facing. For others a move would be impossible. Bourbon, for example, is inherently tied to the place it is produced and so couldn’t even hope to move production into Canada. It seems the stage is set and we will continue to wait and see if compromises can be made to ease the suffering of the US spirits industry.

How the Spirits Industry is Uplifting Women in Spirits in a Multitude of Ways

From women-led awards competitions, women-centric commerce platforms, and communities built around women in spirits, the industry is trying to close the gender gap. Here’s a quick recap of all of the things that have been happening recently to elevate and highlight the women running the wine and spirits industry.

Since 2007, the International Women’s Wine and Spirits Competition has been working to honor brands that have been judged best by their biggest consumers: women. Designed to be an award given by women to brands that were largely popular because of women this distinction isn’t gender exclusive. The panel of judges consists entirely of women in the wine and spirits industry: “winemakers, distillers, marketers, buyers, sommeliers, educators and journalists.” Entries by any and all genders are accepted and awards are given based on merit but an extra spotlight is given to the best women in each category.

The world’s first e-commerce platform dedicated to women owned and led brands in the spirits and cocktail ingredients industry has launched. Sirens Spirits Group has a curated selection of premium spirits, mixers, and ingredients from women owned and operated companies. The goal of the platform is to highlight women in an industry that has long been dominated by men and create a community where those women are celebrated.

Formerly known as the Women Leading Rum & Spirits a rebranded Women Leading Spirits is officially debuting its new name and imagery at this year’s New York Rum Festival & Conference. The organization’s advocacy was born out of the rum industry but is expanding its reach in order to better reflect the growing influence of women in the spirits industry at large. The community was built to promote inclusion, education and the advancement of women in the spirits industry and they hope that their rebranding will better reflect those goals.

At This Point It’s a Little Bit Like a Car Crash and We Can’t Look Away

So you might have stopped caring about the fate of Uncle Nearest a while ago but I just can’t help but follow up on the legal proceedings that involve the storied brand. When Uncle Nearest came out there was such an incredible story behind it and the immediate success of the brand was heartening. Since then there has been some not-so-stellar headlines concerning the financial troubles that the company has been facing. We have covered the many different court cases and the receivership that the company has been placed in in previous newsletters so we won’t rehash any of the old news.

In the latest update, the court has denied a request to end the receivership that was filed by the Weavers in December 2025. The headline from the Spirits Business: Court says Uncle Nearest was ‘haemorrhaging money’ says it all when it comes to why the decision was made.

The Weavers have argued that their company is worth somewhere between $300-325 million which would outweigh the debts that it still owes to lenders. The court however, found that the company is more realistically valued at a mere $50-125 million. The court says that the Weaver have failed to prove the valuation estimates of its whiskey in inventory and other assets which further brings into question the actual value of the company itself.

The Weavers have also continually asserted that the receivership is hurting business, and the court does recognize that that could be true however, it is impossible to prove when there is also the possibility that the litigation, distribution issues, and decline in marketing efforts are impacting sales as well.

I feel like I have been on both sides of this interaction so it felt like I had to share. What do you think about Fernet? Love it? Hate it? I want to hear any and all opinions on this topic. Bonus points if you know the movie that the dramatic Fernet death scene is from.

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