Jim Beam halting some bourbon production as exports fall amid U.S. tariffs
Global News
Bourbon maker Jim Beam is halting production at one of its distilleries in Kentucky for at least a year as the whiskey industry navigates tariffs from the Trump administration.
Bourbon maker Jim Beam is halting production at one of its distilleries in Kentucky for at least a year as the whiskey industry navigates tariffs from the Trump administration and slumping demand for a product that needs years of aging before it is ready.
Jim Beam said the decision to pause bourbon making at its Clermont location in 2026 will give the company time to invest in improvements at the distillery. The bottling and warehouse at the site will remain open, along with the James B. Beam Distilling Co. visitors center and restaurant.
The company’s larger distillery in Boston, Kentucky, will continue to operate, the company said.
“We are always assessing production levels to best meet consumer demand,” the company said in a statement that added they were talking with the distillery’s union to determine whether there will be layoffs or other reductions.
Bourbon makers have to gamble well into the future. Jim Beam’s flagship bourbon requires at least four years of aging in barrels before being bottled.
Whiskey makers are dealing with back-and-forth arguments over tariffs in Europe and in Canada, where a boycott started after the Trump administration suggested annexing the country into the U.S.
Overall exports of American spirits fell nine per cent in the second quarter of 2025 compared to a year ago, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States.
The most dramatic decrease came in U.S. spirits exports to Canada, which fell 85 per cent in the April-through-June quarter.
Waterloo Region is facing a newly identified water capacity issue, raising concerns about growth, aging infrastructure and long-term climate resilience.
Montreal police have arrested two teens in the stabbing of a 12-year-old boy last month. The victim’s injuries are no longer life-threatening.
U.S. forces stopped another vessel off Venezuela as Trump escalates pressure on President Nicolás Maduro and enforces a blockade on sanctioned oil tankers.
A paraplegic German engineer fulfilled a lifelong dream Saturday, floating in space after launching aboard a Blue Origin rocket, calling it the "coolest" experience of her life.
Police in Welland, Ont., have arrested a suspect in a stand-off during which an officer was shot. The officer was not seriously injured and has been released from hospital.
Rubio faced several questions on U.S. military operations in Venezuela, negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, and the ongoing commitment to NATO in a year-end press conference.
For the week ending Dec. 13, Canada saw 11,646 new cases of the flu being detected, which means 27.7 per cent of all the tests conducted in the country came out positive.
In a letter sent to Anand, NDP MP Jenny Kwan and Liberal MP Gurbux Saini called that behaviour "an egregious violation of personal dignity and basic diplomatic norms."
Less than two weeks remain to take advantage of some tax strategies that will help to get more money back when it comes time to file.
In one notable move, Quebec Court of Appeal judge Marie-Josée Hogue, who led Ottawa's foreign interference inquiry, becomes deputy minister of justice.
The Quebec Liberals have named Marc Tanguay as their interim leader following the resignation this week of Pablo Rodriguez.
Health Canada says it has amended the regulations for precursor chemicals and manufacturing equipment used to make illegal synthetic drugs like fentanyl and methamphetamine.
Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc will meet with his counterparts in the U.S. mid-January to advance the talks, Prime Minister Mark Carney's office said in a statement.