About a month ago, the Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ) announced it would be pulling all U.S.-made alcohol from its stores in response to the 25% tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump. As of today, that promise is finally kicking in.
The tariffs, along with Canada’s planned countermeasures, were initially set to take effect in February but were delayed after a temporary agreement between Trump and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. However, negotiations have fallen through, and as of midnight on March 4, 2025, the heavy tariffs are officially in place.
And with that, the North American trade war is back on.
Canada has taken a firm stance in the hours following Trump’s announcement, with Trudeau dropping counter-tariffs on $30 billion worth of U.S. products while announcing plans to slap an additional $125 billion in tariffs over the next three weeks if the situation escalates.
Leaders at the provincial level have also stepped up. Quebec Premier François Legault claimed to be “very motivated to fight against Mr. Trump,” in a Monday interview that saw him question the future of Quebec’s economy.
One small way of fighting back is by targeting products that directly contribute to major U.S. exports — including booze.
As a result, the SAQ is officially pulling all U.S.-made alcohol from its shelves and website as of today. The liquor board will also halt imports of American products, stop supplying grocery stores, bars, and restaurants, and suspend all promotions of U.S. wines, spirits, and beers. Even locally bottled American products and in-transit shipments meant for Quebec brewers are being cut off.
Here’s a full breakdown of which brands and products are affected.
Wines:
- Apothic Red
- Barefoot wines
- Beringer wines
- Francis Coppola wines
- Gallo family wines
- Liberty School wines
- Ménage à Trois wine
- Three Thieves wines
- Woodbridge wines
- All wines from Napa Valley
Whiskey & bourbon:
- Jack Daniel’s whiskey
- Rabbit Hole whiskey
- Jim Beam bourbon
- Maker’s Mark bourbon
- Wild Turkey bourbon
- All American whiskeys
Rum:
- Bacardi flavored rums
- Captain Morgan Private Stock rum
- The Kraken rum
Vodka:
- Smirnoff flavoured vodkas
- White Claw premium vodka
Liqueurs:
- Sour Puss liqueurs
- Southern Comfort fruit liqueurs
