BORDERS Scotch Whisky faces uncertainty in the wake of tariffs from the US against the EU.

Scotch Whisky will take a beating from tariffs, which are set at 25 per cent for the foreseeable future.

We spoke with John Fordyce, Co-Founder and Director of the Borders Distillery, Hawick, about what these tariffs mean for Scotch Whisky in the Borders. He said: "We can't tell what the impact will be as we don't know the duration of these tariffs.

"If the tariffs persist, it will definitely put a strain on our abilities as a growing business."

In a dispute with the EU over Airbus, the US are imposing tariffs to exports, totalling up to nearly $8 billion.

Scotch Whisky exports to the US are valued at over £1 billion, with figures from the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) stating that 137 million bottles were shipped to the USA last year.

Mr Fordyce continued: "In the wider picture, this is not good news for anyone. Tariffs anywhere can cost jobs.

"This is bad news for us, and it's bad news for the Americans."

Nearly 11,000 people in Scotland work in the whisky industry, with 7,000 of these working in rural areas such as the Borders.

The SWA released a statement which said: "“The Scotch Whisky industry has consistently argued against the imposition of tariffs in our sector. For the last 25 years, trade in spirits between Europe and the US has been tariff-free.

"In that time, exports of Scotch Whisky to the US and of American Whiskey to the UK and Europe have grown significantly, benefitting communities on both sides of the Atlantic, boosting investment, employment and prosperity for all.

"For this reason, the Scotch Whisky Association - alongside American and European spirits producers - has urged the EU and the US not to draw spirits into trade disputes that have nothing to do with our sector."