US Whisky Drinkers Skeptical of Post-Tariff Price Drops, Survey Finds

Survey of more than 1,000 American readers of The Whiskey Wash finds widespread scepticism that tariff savings will reach consumers.

MANCHESTER, CHESHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, June 17, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A majority of US whisky drinkers expect retailers and importers, rather than customers, to keep the saving when the tariff on Scotch whisky is removed, according to a survey of 1,025 American readers of The Whiskey Wash, the world's most visited whisky website.

The tariff remains in place. Although its removal has been widely reported, the 10% levy introduced on Scotch whisky in 2025 has not yet been lifted. The Scotch Whisky Association has confirmed it hopes to see the tariff removed in the coming months.

The survey, which ran from 1 to 31 May 2026 and gathered 1,025 responses from US-based readers, found that scepticism about who will benefit is the dominant theme.

Most consumers expect tariff savings to be retained

Asked whether they expected Scotch to become noticeably cheaper once the tariff is removed, 58.1% said they believed retailers or importers would keep the saving, against 26.1% who expected to pay less. The remaining 15.7% were unsure.

The tariff appears to have been felt at the till. Almost two-thirds of respondents (64.5%) said they had noticed Scotch prices rise since the tariff was introduced, while 18.7% saw no change and 16.8% were unsure.

Buying habits look unlikely to shift once the tariff goes. A majority (53.2%) said they expected to buy about the same amount of Scotch as they do now, with 24.8% expecting to buy more and 9.6% expect to buy less. Notably, 12.4% said they had not heard the tariff was being removed at all.

Tariff removal is a starting point, not a complete fix

Mark Littler, owner and editor-in-chief of The Whiskey Wash, said: "The tariff was felt at the till, and our readers clearly noticed prices rise. What's striking is how few expect that to simply reverse when the tariff goes. Most think the saving will stay with retailers and importers rather than reaching their glass. That tells us the tariff did more than add a percentage at the checkout. It shifted how people feel about the value of Scotch, and that doesn't switch back overnight."

He added: "None of this takes away from the fact that removing the tariff is good news for Scotch. But it's a starting point rather than a fix. The brands that come out of this strongest will be the ones that use the moment to rebuild their audience in the USA, not just quietly adjust their margins. Scotch has weathered far worse, and the appetite is still there. The opportunity now is to win back confidence."

Notes to editors

The survey was conducted among US-based readers of The Whiskey Wash between 1 and 31 May 2026, gathering 1,025 responses. The figures reflect consumer perception and expectation rather than recorded price changes.

The Whiskey Wash (thewhiskeywash.com) is the world's most visited whisky website, attracting more than 5.3 million visitors in 2025. For over a decade it has published whisky news, reviews and features, building a library of more than 3,000 reviews. In 2024 it launched a price comparison tool, helping readers compare prices across retailers and auctions.

The survey data is free to use with attribution to The Whiskey Wash.

Mark Littler
MARK LITTLER LIMITED
mark@thewhiskeywash.com
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