Jim Beam shuts factory as whiskey sales sour
Falling American spirit sales – with exports down 9% after tariffs were introduced – and state taxes on a record-breaking inventory of aging bourbon have led a Jim Beam factory to cease production for a year
AMERICAN WHISKEY
Volume
(9-litre cases, millions)
Super-premium
High-end
Premium
Value
2024: Sales down 2.7% by volume, 1.8% by value
Total revenue ($ millions)
0
10
20
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
2005
2010
2015
2020
2024
KENTUCKY INVENTORY (million barrels)
$75 million barrel tax on $10 billion worth of aging barrels
16.1 million barrels
STATE TAXES ($ millions)
0
5
10
15
20
0
20
40
60
80
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Sources: Distilled Spirits Council, Kentucky Bourbon
Picture: Getty Images
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