Bourbon popularity exploded a few years ago but the market is over saturated -- too much inventory and people have moved on to other things. Also anti-American sentiment due to Tariff Man is reducing exports. At my local liquor store, a year or two back if you wanted a bottle of buffalo trace, you had to show up on delivery day (Friday afternoon) and I think they imposed a 2-bottle limit. Now, they've got boxes stacked on boxes filling up the aisles and it's all on sale.
Bourbon sales are in decline. A combination of sales not recovering post Covid pandemic and US tariffs (and presidential belligerence) putting off consumers in export markets.
Huge slump at moment. Folks over-purchased chasing hype/scarcity during and following COVID. Production increased but demand has softened sharply, for several reasons. For a lot of folks I know, it’s as simple as they simply don’t have the physical space to keep accumulating bottles. Others have grown bored and decided to exit the “hobby” and send 90% their collection to places like K&L for auction.
But it is wildly less popular than it was and demand is well below what they built out supply to meet. Even without the tariffs the industry was going to have a major contraction and the tariffs have made it even worse.
Bardstown literally has their production line workers doing yardwork and other random tasks to keep them on payroll while not running production.
Not sure what he’s saying, but some Canadian provinces banned import of USA spirits, as retaliation to tariffs, and allegedly this has hurt bourbon sales.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckglnk6yxlko
But it is wildly less popular than it was and demand is well below what they built out supply to meet. Even without the tariffs the industry was going to have a major contraction and the tariffs have made it even worse.
Bardstown literally has their production line workers doing yardwork and other random tasks to keep them on payroll while not running production.