The first shipment of Scotch whisky to travel to the United States under a newly implemented zero-tariff agreement is due to leave the UK within the next 48 hours.
The government said US tariffs on UK whisky have been removed from 24 July, following an agreement reached during His Majesty The King’s state visit to the US in April. Distilleries in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are expected to benefit.
The shipment is a high-value air freight of premium Scotch whisky distilled in Aberdeenshire, worth £60,000, and is due to travel from Manchester to Philadelphia. It has been arranged by digital trade company LogChain and involves Skene Whisky.
Officials said the freight is also the first whisky shipment to the US to use exclusively digital trade processes rather than paper-based documentation. The government said digital processes can reduce shipping costs and loading times.
The whisky industry supports 41,000 jobs in Scotland and a further 25,000 across the UK, according to the Scotch Whisky Association. UK whisky exports were worth £5.4 billion in 2025, including £1 billion to the US.
The government said the Economic Prosperity Deal remains in place despite a new round of global tariffs announced by the US today. It said zero tariffs apply to both whisky and medical technology under the deal.