THERE are probably few industries which better demonstrate the dichotomy between short-term, currency-related gains following the Brexit vote and the monumental longer-term challenges arising from the UK’s European Union exit than Scotch whisky.

So, when the Scotch Whisky Association flags up the industry’s need for support in dealing with the challenges presented by the “seismic change” stemming from last June’s vote, the UK Government must sit up and listen.

The Scotch whisky sector did very well last year, recent industry figures show. The SWA highlighted a “significant” boost to Scotch exports in the second half of last year from the plunge in the pound following the Brexit vote.

The latest SWA figures show Scotch whisky exports totalled £4.01 billion last year, up by four per cent on 2015. This rise followed three consecutive years of decline, although that period of contraction was preceded by a long run of impressive growth.

The SWA said single malt exports totalled £1.02bn last year, up by nearly 12 per cent on 2015. It noted that the equivalent of 113 million, 70-centilitre bottles of single malt Scotch had been exported.

And the value of Scotch whisky exports to the US, the industry’s biggest overseas market by value, leapt by 14.2 per cent to £856 million last year.

So, reassuringly, the figures highlight the fact that the general health of Scotch whisky exports reflects far more than sterling’s entirely understandable but nevertheless lamentable post-Brexit vote woes.

The success in the single malt category shows distillers are continuing to reap the rewards of focusing increasingly on the luxury end of the market. They have invested heavily in their premium offerings, both in terms of single malts and luxury blends.

And the strength of the US market has been nothing short of remarkable.

The world’s largest economy remained a happy hunting ground for Scotch throughout the global financial crisis, which started nearly a decade ago, and the ensuing deep recession.

In the context of US consumers’ appetite for premium Scotch, notably single malts, it was interesting to see last week’s announcement that Glasgow-based Edrington was buying back The Glenrothes brand from venerable wine and spirits merchant and long-time ally Berry Bros & Rudd.

Berry Bros & Rudd had purchased The Glenrothes brand from Edrington’s Highland Distillers business in 2010.

Edrington noted last week that The Glenrothes brand had grown to become a “significant participant in the growing single malt Scotch whisky market”.

The Glenrothes distillery and cooperage have been owned and run by Highland Distillers since 1887. And Edrington’s move to buy back The Glenrothes single malt brand looks like a clear indication of a belief that there is plenty more to go for in the US market.

The US is a key market for Edrington, which has enjoyed great success with The Macallan in the world’s largest economy.

However, the buoyancy and resilience of the US market in recent years does not mean European markets are not as important as ever for the Scotch whisky industry. France remains by far the biggest overseas market for Scotch by volume.

And we must not overlook the fact EU membership has been absolutely crucial to Scotch distillers in terms of securing key trade agreements with countries around the world.

As an aside, it is perhaps worth noting that Scotch may not, possibly unlike some other UK products, be hit particularly by any backlash from consumers in our long-suffering fellow EU member states that might be triggered by the Westminster Government’s seeming determination for maximum aggression in Brexit negotiations.

At least there seems to be good awareness in mainland Europe that the Scots voted very convincingly to stay in the EU.

Publishing the 2016 export figures late last month, the SWA noted the EU “remained the most valuable region for Scotch in 2016”, with exports to other member states growing 3.6 per cent in

value terms to £1.24 billion.

And this brings us back to the SWA’s priorities on Brexit. Rational priorities, which appear to reflect a common-sense approach to trying to mitigate the damage.

The SWA wants what it describes as a “gold standard” trade deal with the EU.

It highlights a need for “as open a trade policy as possible, securing existing EU trade deal benefits and developing an ambitious agenda of new and refreshed free trade agreements”. The UK Government does not appear so far, through its noisy but highly unconvincing efforts, to be doing well at all on either of these fronts.

The SWA also wants “robust legal protection” of Scotch whisky in the UK, EU, and global markets, and “business certainty and consistency through the Great Repeal Bill and other means”.

It also emphasises the importance of “frictionless and efficient customs procedures, minimising cost and complexity for exports to the EU”.

In case the UK Government needs reminded of the importance of the industry, the SWA notes Scotch last year remained the biggest net contributor to the UK’s balance of trade in goods.

It calculates, without the impact of Scotch whisky, the UK’s global deficit on trade in goods in 2016 would have been 2.8 per cent wider at £139bn.

We are in something of a surreal political phase, with a complete and utter disconnect between the UK’s economic performance and the Conservatives’ popularity. And things became even more disturbing this week when Prime Minister Theresa May seemed to go out of her way to signal to factory workers that she supported overturning the ban on fox-hunting. This cruel pursuit has no place in a modern society.

The seeming intolerance to people from other nations shown by some in the Brexit camp has no place in today’s society either. And it must not be pandered to by the UK Government in Brexit negotiations, in which somehow retaining free trade and movement of people must be paramount.

The SWA has hammered home the importance of free trade. But the big question is whether Mrs May and her Government, buoyed by massive leads in the opinion polls amid some misguided and intolerant euphoria in the Brexit camp and boosted by the seeming unpopularity of Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour, will be in a listening mood.