July 14th, 2025: Trump’s tariff dance and other news
Eye on the US trade landscape, Nine Rivers starts distilling, Dented Brick facing bankruptcy, Nardini buys Domenis 1898, Wine Paris's "Be No", AI odour prediction, Detroit City Distillery and more...
Happy Monday everyone!
The tariffs dance has just begun, so let’s start with a summary of the situation for you.

Trump announces 30% tariff rate on EU goods
This comes after a letter Trump delivered to the EU during the weekend. Europe isn’t the sole target; other tariffs announcements have been made recently. We all know this is part of a negotiation strategy, which will probably continue for the next fortnight. To help you understand the broader context, here is an overview of the current trading situation.
This article by Jarrett Renshaw, Bhargav Acharya and Cassandra Garrison on Reuters delves into the details:
Trump intensifies trade war with threat of 30% tariffs on EU, Mexico
The article includes figures on the top exported goods by value from the EU to the US (2024), along with other interesting data.
Complementing this, here are some figures on global trade by the UN Trade & Development:
Global trade grew $300 billion in the first half of 2025, led by US imports and EU exports
I believe this offers more value than simply reviewing statements from producers’ associations in Europe and the US, which, while part of the lobbying effort, might not add much clarity for you at this stage.
Distillery news
Nine Rivers fires up stills in China
The Fujian-based distillery has just filled its first whisky cask and is also planning to produce vodka, gin, and rum.
The initial capacity for an annual output will be 1.3 million litres of pure alcohol (LPA), but the site is already undergoing expansion, with plans to increase capacity to 3.5 million LPA.
Article by Miona Madsen on The Spirits Business:
US Dented Brick Distillery facing bankruptcy
The Salt Lake City-based distillery filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in order to restructure its business.
Article by Lauren Bowes on The Spirits Business:
Acquisitions
Nardini Holding buys Domenis 1898
This marks a historic acquisition in the Italian distilling landscape, as the deal involves two of the most renowned Grappa brands from North-East Italy. Nardini was founded in Bassano del Grappa in 1779 and Domenis in Cividale del Friuli in 1898. Both companies see their founding families’ current generations still involved, sharing a common vision and commitment to local communities.
You can read my full article on VinoNews24 here:
Trade shows
Wine Paris will introduce an alcohol-free area in 2026
Vinexposium is introducing a new section of its trade show in Paris. It will be called “Be No” and it is meant to embrace the sector’s ongoing transformations.
Article by Melita Kiely on The Spirits Business:
You can read the news from a different perspective on Global Drinks Intel here:
When titles get sensational
German researchers trained an AI-based odour prediction model on whisky
This is the title I would have chosen for an article by Klaus Taschwer in Der Standard, which was actually titled:
(New AI recognises whisky aromas better than experts)
Crucially, there isn’t an artificial intelligent electronic whisky taster behind this. Instead, researchers used an AI odour prediction model, which began by analysing the chemical composition of the spirits through gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and molecule detection. Two algorithms were then employed to predict the aromas.
Alternatively, here is the direct link to the research, should you wish to delve into the technical details:
Odor prediction of whiskies based on their molecular composition
Something to read
How Detroit City Distillery built its local presence (also around vodka)
The Detroit Free Press features an article by Neal Rubin detailing DCD’s expansion strategy over the past decade. I found it an inspiring read.
Detroit distillery expands — thanks to paczki, high school pals and a bachelor party
That’s all for today. We’ll see what the rest of the week holds!
See you on Wednesday"!