Craft Spirits News and Insights: May 2025
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May 28, 2025
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Between trade developments, regulatory changes, market trends, and breakthrough innovations, keeping up with craft spirits news can feel like a full-time job. This new monthly digest does the heavy lifting for you by condensing the month’s most significant news into a concise briefing. It publishes on the last Wednesday of every month.
Stories We’re Following
Loch Lomond Group Makes Big U.S. Moves
Acquisitions of small distilleries may have slowed, but they haven’t stopped entirely. On May 20th, Loch Lomond Group acquired New York Distilling Co., marking its entrance to the American whiskey industry. Founded in 2011 by Tom Potter and Allen Katz, New York Distilling Company was launched in Williamsburg before moving to Bushwick in 2024. The move came about a month after Loch Lomond Group inked an import and distribution agreement with Foley Family Wines & Spirits, which will act as the exclusive agent for the group in the United States.
TOTC Spirited Awards nominees announced
Tales of the Cocktail has announced the nominees for its 2025 Spirited Awards, which includes categories for media, products, and cocktail bars. Of note for craft spirits producers are several books and magazine articles about the industry, including articles about Louisiana rum by Christine Sismondo and the real motivations of neo-Prohibitionists by Tyler Wetherall, as well as books including Distilled in Washington: A History by Becky Garrison and Malort: The Redemption of a Revered and Reviled Spirit by Josh Noel.
Granholm Turns 20
This month marked the 20th anniversary of the landmark Granholm v. Heald case, as did writers from sectors as diverse as the wine trade, libertarian websites and the University of Miami Law Review. The Granholm precedent, which applies specifically to wine, has long represented the prospect of nationwide DTC for spirits brands — a prospect that is yet to be delivered.
Need to Know
ADI 2025
Registration for the 2025 ADI Craft Spirits Conference & Expo in San Antonio, Texas, is now open, and there are discount opportunities for hotels and airfare on the signup form. Hope to see you there!
Tariff Turmoil Continues
A 50% tariff on all imports from the European Union was announced and then delayed by the Trump administration this month. On May 23, Trump proposed the tariffs, and then on May 25 he said their implementation would be delayed from June 1 to July 9. Then a lawsuit filed by a small wine importer led to a federal court ruling that some of the tariffs were illegal at the end of May, but another court then paused that ruling the next day. Talks between trade negotiators from both regions continue in the meantime.