Massachusetts Treasurer Deb Goldberg speaks at a state Democratic Party unity event Sept. 5, 2018, in Boston. (AP Photo/Bill Sikes)

Massachusetts Treasurer Deb Goldberg warned that ongoing tariff uncertainty is putting alcohol industry jobs and state tax revenue at risk as distributors, suppliers and manufacturers struggle to absorb rapidly changing costs, WWLP Springfield reported.

“I feel that this whole tariff thing is a game. And it’s a game that is risking people’s lives in the sense — it’s risking their livelihoods,” Goldberg said Wednesday during a press call hosted by For the Long Term, a nonprofit focused on state and municipal financial leaders.

The comments came as alcohol industry executives described the effects of tariffs on businesses across the supply chain, from importers and distributors to restaurants, retailers and consumers.

The U.S.-Canada trade dispute has added another layer of uncertainty for the industry. The Trump administration imposed a 50% tariff on certain Canadian products in August after a three-day suspension, while a separate Sept. 8 proclamation ordered certain Canadian alcoholic beverages excluded from U.S. imports beginning Sept. 29.

Chris Conrad, president of New England alcohol distributor Martignetti Companies, said tariffs have reduced earnings while pushing financial pressure onto suppliers, restaurants, retailers and consumers.

Conrad said Massachusetts’ Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission, which operates under Goldberg’s oversight as state treasurer, has provided flexibility as tariff changes have made pricing difficult to predict.

“That allows us to make changes as we need on the fly, literally with no day’s notice,” Conrad said, according to WWLP Springfield. “And we’re grateful for their partnership in that regard.”

Under normal Massachusetts rules, out-of-state alcohol suppliers must submit prices to the commission by the first day of the prior month for those prices to take effect the following month. Goldberg said the ABCC has allowed suppliers to request immediate price changes because of the difficulty of operating under the standard schedule.

“We are doing everything we can do to support our businesses,” Goldberg said.

The pricing flexibility comes as tariff-related costs continue to affect multiple parts of the beverage alcohol industry. Scott Allen, vice president of wine and spirits importer and distributor M.S. Walker, said his company has decided to stop manufacturing certain products because consumers “just will not tolerate these price increases.”

Allen credited Goldberg with listening to industry concerns and acting on requests involving the state’s regulatory system.

The effects also extend beyond imported spirits. The 50% U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum have increased costs for craft brewers, who rely heavily on aluminum cans and steel products such as kegs and brewing equipment. The Brewers Association has estimated that aluminum cans accounted for 75% of packaged craft beer volume and revenue based on early 2025 sales data.

Goldberg said the broader concern is what sustained disruption could mean for Massachusetts’ tax base.

“Quite often these retailers are a core part of local revenue sources, and the alcoholic beverages industry also pays an enormous amount of taxes and employs a lot of people,” Goldberg said. “So overall, as state treasurer, I am also very worried about general revenues coming into the state and us being able to sustain the job that government has to do.”

The Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission oversees alcohol licensing and regulation in the state. Goldberg’s office says the commission is working with industry stakeholders as tariff changes create additional challenges for businesses.

The warning comes as the administration’s Canadian alcohol measures approach another major deadline. Under the Sept. 8 proclamation, certain Canadian alcoholic beverages will be excluded from U.S. imports beginning Sept. 29, while covered products imported before that date but not yet entered for consumption remain subject to the 50% duty.

Liam Gallagher and Noel Gallagher at the UK Premiere of ‘Oasis: Don’t Look Back In Anger’ on Sept. 7 in London, England. (Photo: James Warren/Famous/STAR MAX/IPx/AP)

Noel Gallagher says he may give up alcohol for Oasis’ 2027 tour after watching his brother Liam Gallagher prepare to stay sober for the band’s next run of shows.

Speaking exclusively to talkSPORT, Noel said Liam will be “off the booze” when Oasis returns to the stage in 2027, while he is considering doing the same.

“Liam will be off the booze and I wasn’t for the last tour, but I might be for this,” Gallagher said.

The decision comes as Oasis prepares for a much longer stretch on the road. The band has announced 38 shows across Europe and the United States between May and September 2027, including 11 performances at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium and four shows at Knebworth House.

Gallagher acknowledged that the band cannot approach touring the way it did during Oasis’ rise to fame in the 1990s.

“You’ve just got to go to bed early,” he told talkSPORT. “We can’t do it like we did in the 90s; we can’t even do it like we did in the 2000s, but you’ve got to pick your battles.”

Oasis ended a 16-year hiatus with its 2025 reunion tour, which included five shows at Wembley Stadium. Gallagher said the decision to continue touring came after the second Wembley performance.

“Nobody really knew what was going to happen, how it was going to go,” he said. “We did Cardiff and Manchester and by the time we got to Wembley…. it was decided we were going to do it.”

Oasis’ 2027 tour will begin with five shows at Celtic Park in Glasgow before moving through Europe and eventually to the United States. The band will play three shows at Gillette Stadium in Boston and three at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

Gallagher said Boston and Las Vegas had originally been scheduled for the band’s 2025 tour.

Oasis’ latest album, “Dig Out Your Soul,” was released in 2008. Gallagher also told talkSPORT that the band has no plans to release new music.

(Photo: Cotswolds)

A war of words between English and Scottish distillers erupted over the weekend following the creation of a new legally protected whisky category.

On Friday, the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs recognized the terms “English Whisky” and “English Whiskey” with a geographical indication status. Much as tequila can only be made in Mexico and Champagne in France, English whisky is now a protected category that can only be made in England using specific production methods.

The English Whisky Guild submitted its application for the recognition over six years ago and calls the long-awaited approval a “landmark achievement” for “the quality and innovation across our growing industry.”

Not everyone was quite as enthusiastic. Days after the category was approved, the Scotch Whisky Association told The Telegraph that it was “profoundly concerned” about the decision, doubling down on previous comments that it would “robustly defend itself against any devaluation of the Single Malt category.”

For a brand to qualify as English whisky, all of its cereal grain must be grown in the UK, distilled at a single distillery and aged in England for at least three years. Maturation must occur in wooden casks with a maximum capacity of 700 liters, and if distillers choose, whisky can be transported in bulk containers for bottling in export markets.

Notably, British regulators have extended leeway for the mashing and fermentation of grain, which is allowed to occur at locations other than the primary distillery.

This step differs from single malt whisky regulations in Scotland, where it’s required that liquid be mashed, fermented and distilled at a single site. Mark Kent, chief executive of the Scotch Whisky Association, believes that England’s rules are inconsistent with the reputation of single malt whisky, effectively undermining the standard of excellence that Scotch enjoys worldwide. The organization reportedly plans to meet with ministers this week to raise its concerns about the newly minted category.

“This is something which our counterparts in Wales and Northern Ireland agree with,” Kent added. “Following discussion with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs this week, we will further consider our position and next steps.”

England is the fourth and final UK nation to receive protected status for its whisky, following the example set by Scotch whisky, Single Malt Welsh Whisky and Irish Whiskey.

Andrew Nelstrop, the inaugural chairman of the English Whisky Guild and owner of England’s oldest registered whisky distillery, says that there’s no need for infighting. He maintains that the status of one category cannot be conflated with the status of another, adding that Scotch’s single malt status is unique even within the UK.

“Suggesting that Wales are with them in their stance is odd, given the vast majority of maturing Welsh whisky was made using wort from a brewery separate from the distillery and so follows our rules – not those of Scotch,” Nelstrop told The Telegraph.

“Any suggestion that English whisky in some ways may be inferior due to these rules is of course nonsense. English whisky, having won world’s best single malt three times in the last four years, paints a fairly accurate picture of who is perceived to be making a quality product.”

There are around 70 registered whisky distilleries in England, over 40 of which are currently selling fully matured whisky that abides by the three-year aging requirement. The total value of maturing stocks held in casks across England is estimated to be worth around £1 billion ($1.35 billion USD), and is focused primarily around the southwest of the island.

(Photo: Sazerac)

The spirits juggernaut behind Buffalo Trace and Pappy Van Winkle is reviving a historic name in Kentucky bourbon at a fraction of the price of its contemporaries.

On Tuesday, Sazerac announced the launch of Glenmore Kentucky Straight Bourbon and Glenmore Kentucky Straight Rye, a pair of whiskeys that pay homage to one of the oldest distilleries in the spirits firm’s ever-expanding portfolio.

Glenmore — not to be confused with Old Glenmore, or any number of other Scotch whisky brands that begin with “Glen” —  was a distillery founded in Owensboro, Kentucky, in the late 19th century. Throughout its over 120-year production history, the facility earned its reputation with flagship brands like Kentucky Tavern and Yellowstone Bourbon, and at one point became one of the few licensed distilleries to bottle medicinal whiskey during Prohibition.

The distillery wound down operations in 1973, exchanged hands to Guinness in 1991 and was eventually purchased by Sazerac in 2009. Though it’s still operated under the Glenmore name, the facility is nowadays used mainly as a bottling plant and the unexpected home of a corporate art collection. The name nonetheless lives on. Collectors can purchase original-era Glenmore bottles for as much as $7,000, with even the brand’s standard six-year bourbon reselling for around $700, at minimum.

Sazerac’s revival takes things in a different direction. For one, Glenmore Rye and Glenmore Bourbon are inspired by, not produced at, the Glenmore Distillery, and are not made from an original-era mashbill or recipe. What’s more, both of the whiskeys are bottled at 100 proof, both are non-age-stated and both cost a mere $20 per bottle.

Glenmore Bourbon is said to balance notes of crème brûlée, toasted marshmallow, vanilla custard, caramelized sugar and toasted pecan, while the Rye reportedly offers classic rye spice balanced by black pepper, toasted grain and subtle sweetness. The Bourbon is now available at retailers, bars and restaurants in the Sazerac distribution network, while the Rye is expected to hit shelves sometime this month.

“The Glenmore name has an incredible history, and we’re honored to help write its next chapter,” Lauren Selman, Global Growth and Innovation Director at Sazerac, remarked in a news release. “There is an entrepreneurial spirit and willingness to innovate that define the Distillery’s history, and we saw an opportunity to give those qualities new life. We’re excited to whiskey fans to try this release and celebrate this new era with us!”

(Photo: Jameson)

Two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning is joining forces with Jameson Irish Whiskey for an up to $5 million nationwide bar tab. It’s the first — and likely not the last — football-shaped initiative from Jameson, which recently signed a multiyear agreement to become the Official Spirits Sponsor of the NFL.

The giveaway is running from now until Nov. 30, giving drinkers plenty of time to hit the bar before the end of the year. That said, there are a few important details that you’ll want to read up on before you order your next Irish Old Fashioned or Jameson Whiskey Sour.

In participating rebate states, consumers who order a cocktail or shot made with Jameson whiskey can upload their receipt online to receive up to $20 cash back via PayPal or Venmo. The rebate is limited to one drink per customer, so there’s no sense in ordering a couple of happy hour cocktails unless you’re willing to pay up for the second tipple.

The online receipt portal can be found here. If you’re interested in cashing in, be warned that the program excludes the following states: AZ, HI, IN, KY, LA, MD, MA, MS, NH, NC, OR, PA, TN, TX, UT and VA.

If you live in one of those states, fret not! Jameson has also launched a sweepstakes program that will run alongside the rebate, giving fans a chance to win $20 towards their next cocktail. As long as you’re 21 or older and live in one of the above-mentioned states, feel free to apply here.

“The spirit of fandom and community at a local bar on gameday is really unique,” Manning remarked in a news release. “I’m excited to partner with Jameson as they buy America’s Biggest Round, celebrating the die-hard fans who bring the passion every single week, make the trip to their local spot, and keep the gameday tradition alive.”

Manning is no stranger to the world of whiskey. The Louisiana native has joined forces with Kentucky’s Knob Creek for not one but two single-barrel bourbon releases, both of which we thought were excellent.

Jameson, however, is a whole other animal. While Knob Creek is stewarded by spirits giant Suntory Global Spirits, Jameson is owned and operated by Pernod Ricard, the French firm behind Absolut Vodka, Chivas Regal, The Glenlivet and Malibu.

“For generations, neighborhood bars have brought people together, turning strangers into friends and gamedays into lasting memories,” Colin Kavanagh, Chief Marketing Officer at Pernod Ricard North America, added. “As the Official Spirits Sponsor of the NFL, Jameson is pouring America’s Biggest Round with a $5 million bar tab to celebrate the fans who show up, raise a glass, and make gameday happen at their local spot.”

President Donald Trump gestures as he walks onto the 18th green for the Irish Open golf tournament trophy presentation ceremony at Trump International Golf Links Ireland on Sept. 13 in Doonbeg, Ireland. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

The U.S. spirits industry is welcoming President Donald Trump’s announcement that the United States will remove its 10% tariff on Irish whiskey.

Chris Swonger, president and CEO of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, called the announcement “another positive step toward reducing barriers to spirits trade.”

“Following President Trump’s earlier action to remove tariffs on Scotch and all other UK whiskies, this announcement is another positive step toward reducing barriers to spirits trade,” Swonger said in a statement. “As U.S. hospitality businesses enter the critical holiday season, this action will provide a welcome boost for retailers, restaurants, consumers and the American economy.”

Trump announced the tariff move Sunday during the Irish Open at his family-owned golf course in Doonbeg, Ireland. The announcement came after Trump met with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin and as Irish golfer Shane Lowry, who won the tournament, was among those who had urged Trump to remove the tariff.

Irish whiskey currently faces a 10% U.S. tariff as part of duties imposed on wine and spirits from the European Union. The rate was reduced from 15% in July.

Trump did not provide a timeline for when the tariff would be removed, and details on how the administration would implement the announcement were not immediately available.

The Irish Whiskey Association also welcomed Trump’s announcement, saying it would continue working with U.S. and European officials toward a return to zero-for-zero tariffs across beverage exports.

President Donald Trump speaks on the 18th green during the Irish Open golf tournament trophy presentation ceremony for Shane Lowry, of Ireland, on Sept. 13, at Trump International Golf Links Ireland in Doonbeg, Ireland. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

During a weekend trip to Ireland, President Donald Trump said the United States will remove its 10% tariff on Irish whiskey, potentially ending a trade barrier that has affected one of Ireland’s biggest drinks exports to the U.S.

Trump made the announcement Sunday during a golf tournament at Trump International Golf Links in Doonbeg, Ireland, near the end of a 48-hour visit to the country, Reuters reported. The announcement reportedly drew cheers from the crowd.

“Everybody’s been bugging me” to do it, Trump said, according to PBS. “And I said, ‘On behalf of the United States of America, I am going to take the tariffs off’. … “I am going to take the tariffs off Irish whiskey.”

Irish whiskey is currently subject to the 10% tariff applied to EU wine and spirits entering the United States. The rate was initially set at 15% under the EU-U.S. trade deal before being reduced to 10% in July as the Trump administration adjusted its tariff policy toward trading partners.

Trump did not provide an effective date for the tariff removal in his announcement, leaving Irish whiskey producers and U.S. importers waiting for formal action to implement the change.

The Irish Whiskey Association welcomed Trump’s announcement and said it would continue working with European and U.S. officials to restore a zero-for-zero tariff arrangement for beverage exports.

“Nothing exemplifies the US-Ireland trade relationship better than Irish Whiskey,” Irish Whiskey Association Director Eoin O’Caitin said, adding that the group looked forward to seeing the announcement fully implemented.

The association has pushed for the return of the previous zero-for-zero tariff arrangement, under which qualifying U.S. and EU spirits could be traded without tariffs.

The announcement comes as the Trump administration continues to reshape U.S. trade policy. Earlier this month, the White House announced a ban on certain Canadian alcoholic beverages and maintained 50% additional duties on other Canadian alcohol products.

For Irish whiskey producers, the U.S. is a major export market, making tariff relief an important issue for the country’s whiskey industry. The Irish Whiskey Association said it would continue pursuing tariff-free treatment for the wider drinks sector rather than limiting the effort to whiskey.

Workers at Diageo’s Cameronbridge distillery in Scotland have voted to strike in a dispute over proposed job cuts, pay and working conditions, according to the Unite union.

About 100 Unite members at the distillery backed industrial action. The union said strike dates will be announced in the coming days and warned the action could significantly disrupt operations at the site.

More than 70 positions are currently under review at Cameronbridge, which employs about 200 people and is described by Unite as Europe’s largest grain distillery.

The dispute is part of a wider restructuring by Diageo that includes planned job cuts across its Scottish operations. Unite said Diageo has failed to properly consult workers at Cameronbridge and has provided little detail about the proposed redundancies.

The union also raised concerns about worker safety and wellbeing, arguing that the proposed cuts would reduce staffing without a corresponding reduction in production.

Unite members involved in the dispute include production operators and cask handlers.

“Diageo is drinking in the last chance saloon. Strikes will be announced in the coming days unless Diageo swiftly changes course,” Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham said. “Diageo is raking in hundreds of millions of profit and there is no justification for slashing hundreds of jobs across its operations.”

Diageo has about 3,000 employees working at distilleries and bottling plants across Scotland. According to figures cited by Unite from Diageo Scotland’s latest registered accounts, the business recorded £595 million in after-tax profit in 2025, compared with £736 million in 2024.

Unite Industrial Officer Dougie Orchardson said the proposed cuts could affect the supply of Diageo brands if workers walk out.

“Diageo need to listen to its workers or the distillery will be brought to a standstill,” Orchardson said. “Industrial action will inevitably result in supply shortages of many people’s favourite drinks.”

Cameronbridge produces grain spirit used in Diageo’s portfolio and is part of the company’s wider Scottish production network. Diageo’s brands include Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, J&B, Buchanan’s and Windsor whiskies, as well as Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Guinness.

The union did not provide dates for the planned strikes, saying they will be announced in the coming days.

In this photo illustration, a smartphone with the logo of US company Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits LLC is seen on screen in front of business website. (Photo by Timon Schneider / SOPA Images/Sipa USA)

Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits has agreed to pay $12.5 million to resolve a federal investigation into improper payments to alcohol retailer employees and the use of false invoices to conceal those payments, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Thursday.

The nationwide alcohol distributor entered into a non-prosecution agreement with federal prosecutors. The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau also agreed to take no action against the company for the conduct covered by the investigation.

The investigation centered on conduct involving Southern Glazer’s employees and executives who provided improper payments and other benefits to employees of alcohol retailers, including chain grocery stores, in California and elsewhere. The payments were connected to the promotion, purchase, placement and maintenance of certain alcohol products distributed by Southern Glazer’s.

According to the DOJ, the scheme involved cash, prepaid gift cards, flights, golf trips, resort stays and luxury goods. Third-party vendors were used to generate false invoices intended to conceal the payments, while several Southern Glazer’s executives based in California, including vice presidents, were directly involved in the conduct and the falsification of documents.

Southern Glazer’s said in a statement that the investigation primarily concerned activities that occurred several years ago. The company said it cooperated fully with authorities and accepted responsibility for the conduct and compliance lapses acknowledged in the non-prosecution agreement.

The agreement requires Southern Glazer’s to implement additional measures to strengthen compliance with federal and state laws governing bribery and other improper payments. The company also agreed to continue cooperating with the government in related criminal prosecutions involving current or former employees.

The resolution follows criminal charges brought in March against five former employees of an alcohol distribution company in California over an alleged scheme to bribe grocery store alcohol buyers and conceal the payments with false and forged financial records. A Napa winery salesman was also charged in connection with the investigation.

Southern Glazer’s said its compliance investments in recent years have included reorganizing and expanding its compliance staff, implementing new procedures and policies, and increasing monitoring, auditing and internal enforcement. The company said its compliance program has also been aligned with factors outlined in DOJ guidance for evaluating corporate compliance programs.

“We have always had an industry-leading compliance program, and we have redoubled our efforts to make our compliance program an example for any Company, within our industry or otherwise,” Southern Glazer’s President and CEO Wayne E. Chaplin said.

The company said the conduct involved former employees who circumvented compliance controls and policies, including through fraudulent documentation submitted by third parties.

“This conduct does not reflect Southern Glazer’s values, culture, or standards and it will not be tolerated,” Chaplin said. “Our success has always been built on winning the right way.”

U.S. Attorney Craig Missakian said the conduct affected competition in California’s alcohol market.

“Southern Glazer’s employees tried to distort the wine and spirits market in California through bribes and other improper conduct and in the end it was the consumer that lost out,” Missakian said.

TTB Assistant Administrator for Field Operations Anthony P. Gledhill said the case also highlights the responsibility of alcohol industry members for actions carried out through third-party affiliates.

Southern Glazer’s said the $12.5 million payment is part of the non-prosecution agreement, which also includes other obligations over the next two years.

(Photo: MGP)

Big news for American whiskey fans!

On Wednesday, Indiana’s bulk distilling juggernaut MGP announced that it’s expanding its in-house spirits portfolio with a namesake American whiskey series. The first release in the collection, dubbed MGP Chapter One: Out of the Shadows, pays homage to the distillers’ famed high-rye bourbon mashbill and is slated to hit shelves nationwide this fall at a suggested retail price of $69.99.

Chapter One is described as a 110-proof, 10-year-old straight bourbon selectively blended from barrels of the historic LBSV mashbill (60% corn, 36% rye and 4% malted barley). The barrels were aged for a full decade in the facility’s Rickhouse G, imbuing aromas of butterscotch, burnt sugar, molasses and cherry, followed by flavors of cola, raspberries, chocolate, sassafras and leather, according to the brand.

“We’ve been making whiskey and spirits that others have proudly put their names on for decades,” Julie Francis, president and CEO of MGP Ingredients, Inc., remarked in a news release. “Bringing the MGP name back to the distillery and launching MGP Chapter One: Out of the Shadows is an exciting opportunity to share that story directly with consumers.”

The release signals a surprise pivot for MGP, a distiller that — its latest bottle correctly points out — has long worked from the shadows.

For decades, the Lawrenceburg, Indiana-based company has been synonymous with its Distilling Solutions arm, the largest supplier of white-labeled whiskey in the United States. From Bulleit Rye to Redemption Bourbon, MGP is the workhorse distiller behind hundreds of brands, some of which exclusively rebottle MGP juice and others of which mix MGP liquid with in-house distillate.

The once-lucrative business model has taken a hit from industry headwinds. In June, the company reported a 59% drop in whiskey sales for its Distilling Solutions arm. The news came less than a year after MGP revealed that it was scaling down white-label whiskey production “in response to the softening American whiskey category trends and elevated industry-wide barrel inventories.”

Upper management has refocused MGP’s priorities on its Branded Spirits arm, which owns in-house imprints like Penelope Bourbon and Yellowstone whiskey. A recent earnings report revealed that these “premium-plus” whiskey brands outperformed the rest of MGP’s portfolio, growing by 5% in a quarter when several categories dropped by steep double digits.

“These results reflect continued momentum in our premium-plus portfolio, led by Penelope Bourbon and Yellowstone, and an improvement in select mid- and value-priced brands,” Francis said at the time. “As we move through the second half of 2026, we will maintain our strategic roadmap and drive our key growth initiatives, while prioritising our best opportunities for growth, taking decisive actions and executing with discipline.”

Chapter One: Out of the Shadows is the first Branded Spirits whiskey that bears the MGP name. As the historic distiller forges a new path forward, it appears it’ll be leaning harder than ever on the reputation of its three-letter moniker.