With American alcohol back on N.S. shelves in, here's what people are buying

In the number one hebdomad that American alcoholic beverage was indorse on shelves in the responsibility, the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation sold about $3 million worth of the products, representing about 20 per cent of the remaining U.S. Inventory.

About $14 million of American product was pulled from the shelves back in March as part of Nova Scotia's response to the ongoing trade war with the United States.

U.S. President Donald Trump has also infuriated many Canadians with his talk of Canada becoming the 51st American state.

The NSLC announced earlier this month that it would resume selling American products, with an expected $4 million in proceeds going to charity, although that amount is contingent on all of the American stock being sold.

The American products are defined as goods made, manufactured and/or produced in the U.S.

This excludes some alcohol people may perceive as American, such as Budweiser. The Oland Brewery on Halifax's Agricola Street is part of the global beer company Anheuser-Busch InBev. Beers like Budweiser and Bud Light are brewed there.

Similarly, Coors has several breweries in Canada, including one in Moncton, N.B.

This is why the majority of the NSLC's existing inventory consists mostly of spirits and wine products, corporation spokesperson Terah McKinnon said in an email.

McKinnon said the top-selling spirits were Maker’s Mark, Buffalo Trace and Bulleit Bourbon, all of which are bourbon whiskies.

The bestselling wine was California's McManis Petite Sirah.

McKinnon said the NSLC saw sales numbers that were higher than usual during the first week the American products returned to shelves.

The American alcohol boycott in several provinces has hurt some U.S. Producers.

American spirit exports to Canada "plummeted" 85 per cent in the second quarter of 2025, with the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States calling the situation "very troubling" as consumers in key international markets opted for alternatives amid trade tensions. Sales to Canada dropped below $10 million US for the quarter.

While exports to countries such as the U.K. And Japan fell 29 per cent and 23 per cent, respectively, the largest decrease was in Canada. The three countries, along with the European Union, accounted for 70 per cent of U.S. Spirit exports in 2024.

In a news release, council CEO Chris Swonger urged Trump "to help facilitate a lasting return to tariff-free trade with our longstanding trading partners to ensure the continued growth and vitality of this great industry."

In late August, Brown-Forman, the parent company of alcohol producers such as Jack Daniel's and Woodford Reserve, said sales to Canada dropped 62 per cent during the first fiscal quarter of 2025, which concluded July 31.

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