Bar Convent Berlin is a great place for American whiskey brands to meet the people who help it compete: importers, distributors, on- and off-trade partners, and the mixologists. Showing up, building relationships, and sharing what American whiskey has to offer is how we keep moving forward. #AmericanWhiskey #Germany #InternationalTrade

Poland is an important and promising market for American whiskey. It was a privilege to join Ambassador Rose, Senator Jim Banks, USDA colleagues and Polish partners at the Ambassador’s residence in Warsaw. I’m grateful for their leadership and partnership, and optimistic about the future of American whiskey in Poland. #AmericanWhiskey #Poland @USEmbassyWarsaw

American whiskey is heading to Warsaw and Berlin for a week of trade, diplomatic, media and market engagement focused on one goal: expanding opportunity for American whiskey. Poland has become one of the category’s most compelling European growth markets, while Germany remains one of our most important established markets. In both, the opportunity is significant, but so is the need for fair, predictable market access and a competitive environment for American producers. That means showing up, building relationships and engaging directly with importers, distributors, bartenders, hospitality leaders, policymakers and trade partners. At the American Whiskey Association, our mission is simple: make American whiskey the world’s whiskey. Warsaw first. Berlin and Bar Convent Berlin next. Made in America. Made for the world. Read the full release:  american-whiskey.org/news/am… #AmericanWhiskey #Whiskey #Bourbon #Trade #Exports #Poland #Germany #BarConventBerlin #MadeInAmericaMadeForTheWorld

The barrel is more than a vessel. It’s one of the forces that gives bourbon its character, and a place where tradition and innovation work side by side. Oak species, grain, seasoning, heat treatment, char and toast profiles, finishing, and rickhouse placement can all shape a whiskey’s color, aroma and flavor. Each choice gives distillers another way to create distinctive expressions while honoring bourbon’s heritage. Independent Stave Company has spent more than a century working with distillers to explore what oak can do. Its craftsmanship and research help keep barrel innovation moving forward. Heat. Cold. Oak. Time. That’s part of bourbon’s story, and the barrel keeps adding to it. #BourbonHeritageMonth #AmericanWhiskey #Bourbon #MadeInAmericaMadeForTheWorld

Today marks one year since I had the privilege of joining the American Whiskey Association as President and CEO. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to represent this remarkable industry at such a consequential time. The past year has reinforced just how much American whiskey means to not only to the people who produce it, but also to farmers, manufacturers, hospitality workers, communities and consumers across the country. I’m especially thankful to our members, partners, public-policy and industry professionals, and everyone who has lent a hand in moving American whiskey forward. Whatever progress we have made has been a collective effort, and I’m proud to have played a part in it. There is still plenty of work ahead. I’m looking forward to another year of leading, protecting and promoting American whiskey and working together to make American whiskey the world’s whiskey. Thank you to everyone who has been part of the advocacy evolution and effort. @USAWhiskeyAssn

Bourbon is American agriculture, distilled. Every bottle begins with grain grown by American farmers, and corn is at the heart of it. By law, bourbon must be made from a mash containing at least 51% corn. That defining standard connects one of America’s most celebrated products directly to our farms, rural communities and agricultural economy. Quality does not begin at the still or inside the barrel. It begins in the soil, with the seed, skill and stewardship of America’s farmers. It continues through harvest, grain selection and testing, fermentation, distillation, maturation in new charred American oak barrels, and years of patient craftsmanship. That is an extraordinary American value chain: farmers, grain producers, distillers, warehouse teams, cooperages, foresters, truck drivers, distributors, retailers, hospitality workers and tourism communities, all contributing to a product that can only be made in the United States. What we put into our whiskey matters. It starts with great corn and the people who grow it. This Bourbon Heritage Month, we proudly recognize bourbon for what it is: a quintessential American agricultural product and a powerful expression of American craftsmanship. Please enjoy responsibly. #BourbonHeritageMonth #AmericanAgriculture #AmericanFarmers #AmericanWhiskey #Bourbon #MadeInAmerica @USDA @forestservice @usda_nass @SecRollins

On September 11, 2001, terrorists attacked our country and took nearly 3,000 innocent lives. Today, we remember every person who was killed, honor the courage of the first responders and ordinary Americans who ran toward danger, and stand with the families who still carry that loss. Remembering also requires us to look forward. Preventing another terrorist attack demands good leaders, sound policy, effective procedures and constant awareness. The threats may change, but our responsibility to protect one another does not. As someone who had the privilege of serving alongside the men and women of @TSA, I remain deeply grateful for those who work every day, often unseen, to safeguard our transportation systems and our country. We remember the fallen. We honor those who serve. And we remain vigilant. Never forget. “9/11: As Events Unfold,” from the Transportation Security Administration: tsa.gov/videos/911-events-un… #September11 #NeverForget

Statement by Michael Bilello, President & CEO of the @USAWhiskeyAssn on U.S. and Canada trade tensions. American whiskey is ready to compete. For more than a year and a half, our producers have faced significant barriers in Canada, including the removal of U.S. products from provincial retail shelves while competing products remained available. We recognize the seriousness of the circumstances that have brought the United States and Canada to this point, and we remain hopeful that the current situation can lead to meaningful progress. Our objective is straightforward: Market access. Shelf access. Consumer access. American whiskey producers need the ability to participate in the Canadian market, return to provincial stores, restaurants and bars, and once again reach Canadian consumers. The best outcome for producers, businesses and consumers on both sides of the border is a return to normal commercial access and a stable, predictable trading environment. We hope this can be achieved without further escalation.  American whiskey is ready to compete. #AmericanWhiskey #Trade #Canada #MarketAccess #WhiskeyIndustry

Imagine the Bourbon Heritage Month post we could write a few years from now: India has become one of American whiskey’s great export markets, with vibrant whiskey bars and consumers discovering the remarkable range of Bourbon, Tennessee whiskey, rye, wheat whiskey and American single malt. That future is within reach. European spirits exports to India grew 10% last year and an extraordinary 682% over the past decade. The appetite is there, but American whiskey still faces significant tariff and market-access barriers. Give us the opportunity to compete, and we’ll bring the whiskey. Made in America. Enjoyed in India. Made for the World. #AmericanWhiskey #BourbonHeritageMonth #India #Trade #MarketAccess @USTradeRep @USISPForum @USAndIndia

Great to celebrate a good friend to the industry and very gifted writer @NRothbaum on one year since the release of The Whiskey Bible. Noah has spent decades studying, tasting and telling the story of whiskey. This book brings that experience together in one impressive volume, exploring the history, craftsmanship and culture behind the world’s greatest spirit. Congratulations, Noah. An outstanding achievement and an important contribution to the whiskey community. I’m proud to have a signed copy for my own shelf! #TheWhiskeyBible #AmericanWhiskey #Whiskey #BourbonHeritageMonth

Great bourbon does not happen by accident. It is guided by people who understand that every decision made today may not reveal its full impact for years. During Bourbon Heritage Month, we salute America’s master distillers, master blenders and the talented teams working alongside them. Some carry generations of family knowledge. Others arrived through chemistry, engineering, agriculture, sensory science, operations or years spent learning every inch of a distillery. There is no single path to earning the title. The pedigree comes from experience, judgment and an unwavering respect for the whiskey. Master distillers help guide the grain, fermentation, distillation, barrels and maturation. Master blenders bring together individual barrels, each with its own character, to create balance, consistency and something greater than the sum of its parts. They are guardians of heritage and drivers of innovation. They preserve what makes bourbon distinctly American while shaping what comes next for consumers here at home and around the world. Here’s to the people behind the spirit and the patience, craftsmanship and responsibility they bring to every barrel. Who is your favorite master distiller or master blender? Made in America. Made for the World. #BourbonHeritageMonth #AmericanWhiskey #MasterDistiller #MasterBlender #MadeInAmerica

Bourbon is built for the long term global future. Every barrel represents the work of American farmers, loggers, coopers, distillers, barrel rollers, operations teams, brand builders and countless others across a remarkable supply chain. Then comes something no shortcut can manufacture: years of patience before the whiskey is ready to meet the consumer. That long production cycle makes innovation and dependable market access essential. Aging inventory is not simply liquid waiting in a warehouse. It is tomorrow’s product as well as an asset that gives distillers, room to innovate and bartenders, mixologists and chefs something distinctive to pour, pair, blend and share. American whiskey is made to bring people together. Yet too often, it encounters tariffs, non-tariff barriers and inconsistent rules that limit fair competition. American-made spirits remain largely absent from Canadian provincial shelves, even as our international competitors continue pursuing new opportunities around the world. American whiskey has endured for centuries because it continues to evolve without surrendering what makes it distinctly American. It has accompanied celebrations, conversations, quiet reflection and moments of creativity across generations. During Bourbon Heritage Month, we celebrate that history while equally focused on securing its future: protecting bourbon’s American identity, strengthening the communities behind it and opening more markets to the world-class whiskey made here at home. To those who already know American whiskey, thank you. To those discovering it for the first time, welcome. It takes years to make. Take your time enjoying it—responsibly and together. Made in America. Made for the World. #BourbonHeritageMonth #AmericanWhiskey #MadeInAmerica #Trade #MarketAccess

India is one of the world’s most consequential growth opportunities for American whiskey, and the market indicators are increasingly clear. Pernod Ricard reports that India has overtaken China as its second-largest market, with sales growing 7% last year. That validates the broader trend: India’s beverage-alcohol market grew 7% in the first half of 2025, premium-and-above products grew 8%, and whisky remains the country’s dominant spirits category. But America risks losing ground. Under the UK–India trade agreement, India’s tariff on Scotch whisky has already fallen from 150% to 75% and will eventually reach 40%. European producers could gain another advantage through a future EU–India agreement. A strong U.S.–India trade deal can give bourbon, Tennessee whiskey, rye and American single malt a fair opportunity to compete, supporting American distillers, farmers, cooperages and communities throughout our supply chain. The market is moving. Our competitors are moving. America must move with urgency. Made in America. Made for the World. #AmericanWhiskey #BourbonHeritageMonth #India #Trade #MadeInAmerica @USTradeRep @USISPForum @USAndIndia @USAmbIndia