The New York Post reported that some Canadian bars are struggling with the bourbon ban imposed by a few provinces. The ban took place after President Trump imposed a 25% tariff on goods from America’s neighbors to the north.
John Rafferty owns Toronto’s Rose and Crown bar, and he shared with the outlet that he “went nuts” as soon as he found out Ontario was pulling American bourbon from shelves.
The polarizing ban on American bourbon was a measure CEO of Brown-Forman Lawson Whiting referred to as “disproportionate.” The bar owner prepared for the looming trade war by heading out to a liquor store. He purchased six cases of large-format bourbon bottles in March, according to the outlet.
“I pretty much grabbed whatever I could,” Rafferty said to The Post.
Rafferty shared that he has four bottles left of American bourbon: two large Jim Beam bottles, a bottle of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey and a large bottle of Bulleit.
Some bar owners have raised the prices of cocktails featuring bourbon due to the category’s scarcity within the region.
“It’s a premium product right now,” said Danu Social House Manager Scott Swain, according to CBC News.
A Major Blow to American Whiskey
It appears that Canadian hospitality professionals aren’t the only ones struggling in light of the country’s bourbon ban. Some American whiskey brands, like Michter’s, shared that the boycott has been hitting distilleries even harder than the tariffs. The President of Michter’s Distillery Joseph Magliocco expressed to CNBC that tariffs have had “much less of an effect” than he anticipated on the business.
“We’re actually having a great year, Michter’s exports are up actually 14% for the first half of 2025, and that’s unusual,” Magliocco said. “The big problem for a lot of producers basically is Canada. And um, you use the word boycott, it really isn’t a boycott. It’s not a consumer boycott in Canada. It’s a ban. It’s a governmental ban in eight of the provinces, including really populous, really big ones like Quebec, like British Columbia, like Ontario. So eight provinces banned American alcohol and removed it from the shelves.”
Maglioco went on to share that some provinces are allowing American liquor sales but are tacking on a 25% tariff. The Michter’s President shared that some of the brand’s expressions might increase by approximately $25 Canadian, passing the burden down to consumers. He went on to share that the Distilled Spirits Council estimated that shipments to Canada from America are down by 62%.
Canada’s ban on American booze began making headlines in March. The New York Times reported that restaurant owners had already begun making preparations for the boozy trade war to take place.
“People are going to get frustrated, but I think they’ll adapt,” said the owner of an oyster bar in Ontario, according to The New York Times.
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