Overall, this seems like a minor issue in the kerfuffle but I thought about this, probably a bit too long …

• Are the empty barrels even affected by tariffs on bourbon? Are you just worrying there may not be enough barrels overall because bourbon demand dries up?
• Is the barrel question time-sensitive? Or could they just wait until EU & US have finished coming to terms with each other?
• Would people even notice if their spirits were aged in neutral barrels but with wood chips thrown in for flavor? Would that produce a naming issue (i.e. the EU forbidding these products from being sold as sherry or scotch?