American distillers have gotten a costly cold shoulder from Canada, where their exports have plunged 85% this year — topping broad declines in key international markets amid global trade tensions, a spirits industry group says.

Even a thaw in trade relations might not shake this hangover right away.

"Even though things have eased up, we still are not back on the shelf in Canada," said Kentucky craft distiller Tom Bard. "Probably won't be for a good long while."

The majority of Canadian provinces continue to ban American spirits from shelves, though Canada removed its retaliatory tariff on the products weeks ago, the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States said. There's another nagging concern — that consumer reaction to the trade conflicts could curb the international thirst for

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