By Stephen Murphy, Ireland correspondent
Irish exporters are starting to come to terms with the impact of the 20% tariff announced by Donald Trump.
Maud Black co-founded Blacks Brewery & Distillery in Kinsale, Co Cork, with her husband Sam. They currently export spirits to three US states – Rhode Island, Texas and Ohio – and have ambitious expansion plans.
“It’s created a lot of uncertainty with our next shipment to the US,” Maud told Sky News at the distillery this morning.
US distributors are already “nervous” about the effect tariffs will have on their bottom line.
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A second challenge is the potential threat to American visitor numbers to the business, which boasts a visitor centre, bar and tasting rooms.
With economists predicting US households will be forced to pay thousands of dollars more on imported products, the Blacks are concerned about any decrease to US disposable income, “especially into summer next year”.
The business also imports American oak barrels and hops from the US, raising the prospect of any EU retaliatory tariffs potentially making those products more expensive.
It’s a triple threat – ironically the name of one of Blacks whiskeys.
“We’re resilient, though,” says Maud. “We’ll navigate this as a business somehow.”