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President Donald Trump has announced the removal of all tariffs and restrictions on whisky imports to mark the state visit of King Charles and Queen Camilla to the United States.
The President also stated he would lift barriers preventing Scotland and the state of Kentucky from collaborating on whisky and bourbon production. The UK government has confirmed that this policy applies to all whisky categories, including Irish whiskey
Industry representatives said distillers would be able to "breathe a little easier during a period of significant pressure on the sector".
Trump said the Royal visit "got me to do something that nobody else was able to do, without hardly even asking".
The King and Queen spent four days in the US on a state visit hosted by Trump where they visited Washington DC, New York and Virginia before they left on Thursday.
Scotland's First Minister John Swinney called it "tremendous news for Scotland".
Swinney added: "Millions of pounds were being lost every month from the Scottish economy.” He said Scotland was grateful to the King for the key role he played.
In a post on his Truth Social account, Trump said the move was "in honour of the King and Queen of the United Kingdom, who have just left the White House, soon headed back to their wonderful country".
He said the tariffs and restrictions related to "Scotland's ability to work with the Commonwealth of Kentucky on Whiskey and Bourbon, two very important industries within Scotland and Kentucky", and noted how the two areas were linked through the use of wooden barrels.
The main customer for Kentucky's used bourbon barrels is the Scotch industry, which has been importing around £200m-worth each year.
At a press conference later on Thursday, Trump added: "I just took all the restrictions off, so Scotland and Kentucky can start dealing again.
"And I did it in honour of the King and Queen who just left.”
The Scottish and UK governments had both lobbied for the current 10% tariff rate to be reduced or removed on the basis it would benefit both Scottish and US distillers.
Tariffs for exports to the US, introduced under the Trump administration and adding 10% to importers' costs, hit sales in Scotland's whisky industry's biggest export market.
Graeme Littlejohn, director of strategy for the Scotch Whisky Association, said they were "delighted".
