Never Say Die — the transatlantic bourbon distilled and aged in Kentucky before being further matured in the English countryside and shipped back to the United States — has announced it will resume shipments to the American market following President Trump's announcement that tariffs on UK whisky will be lifted.

The brand, co-founded by Kentucky native Brian Luftman alongside Pat Madden and England based co-founders David Wild and Martha Dalton, had paused its US shipments following the introduction of tariffs on UK goods in early 2025. With yesterday's announcement, the next shipment is now being prepared.

Never Say Die is no ordinary bourbon. Distilled 30 miles south of Lexington using proprietary mash bills and limestone-filtered water from Kentucky's deepest aquifer, each barrel then makes a six-week ocean crossing to the White Peak Distillery in Derbyshire, England, where it is matured and bottled before returning to American shores. It is the only bourbon to make that journey — and its entire existence depends on free and open trade between the US and UK.

Brian Luftman, Co-Founder, Never Say Die, said:

“We wholeheartedly welcome President Trump's decision to remove tariffs on whiskey from the United Kingdom. We have not shipped a single bottle of Never Say Die to the United States since the new tariffs were introduced in early 2025. With retailers running out of inventory of Never Say Die, we were considering paying the tariff to replenish American inventory.  King Charles' progressive meeting with President Trump could not have come at a better time.  We had delayed shipments in hope of a lucky moment — and that moment has now arrived.

"President Trump's decision is a powerful signal that the special relationship between the US and UK is open for business. For a brand like ours — born in Kentucky, finished in England, and built to bring something genuinely new to American whiskey lovers — this is the news we have been waiting for.

"Never Say Die is Kentucky Bourbon at its heart. But it carries something no other Bourbon can offer: a flavor shaped by an Atlantic crossing and the English Peak District.

ABOUT NEVER SAY DIE 
Never Say Die is the first US Bourbon to be distilled in Kentucky, ocean-aged on a six-week Atlantic crossing, and then matured in barrels in the Derbyshire Peak District.

The brand is inspired by the legendary racehorse of the same name, born on co-founder Pat Madden's family farm in Kentucky. Revived as a sickly newborn foal by a lucky shot of whiskey, Never Say Die went on — just three years later — to become the first American-born horse to win the Epsom Derby in 70 years, at odds of 33-1, in front of 250,000 people including Queen Elizabeth II and Winston Churchill.

In 2017, Pat Madden and David founded Never Say Die Bourbon alongside Martha Dalton, Brian Luftman, Shane Baker, Pat Heist and Fran O'Leary. The first batch made its maiden voyage from Kentucky to Derbyshire's White Peak Distillery, landing on English shores in July 2022.

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