Updated April 2026.
Unflavored bourbon has 0 grams of sugar on the USDA line for 80-proof distilled spirits. Distillation does not leave table sugar in the bottle. A 1.5-ounce shot is about 97 calories, all ethanol, 0 g carbohydrate. Straight bourbon also may not add coloring or flavoring (27 CFR 5.143). That is the TTB identity, not a keto ad.
Honey, maple, cinnamon, and “bourbon liqueur” SKUs are a different class. The corn in the mash is not residual sucrose. Oak vanillin tastes sweet; it is not grams. Mixers — cola, ginger ale, a sugar cube — are where the sugar actually is. See sugar in whiskey.
Where the sugar is (and is not)
| Drink | Sugar / carb (typical) | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 80-proof straight bourbon | 0 g / 0 g (USDA 80-proof spirits) | Distilled, unflavored; TTB bars added flavoring |
| 100-proof / bonded bourbon | 0 g if unflavored | More ethanol, not more sugar |
| Flavored whiskey / honey bourbon | Sugar present — read the label | Different TTB class |
| Old Fashioned | The cube or syrup | Count the sweetener, not the whiskey |
| Bourbon & cola (8 oz cola) | ~20–30 g from the soda | Plus the 97 kcal shot |
Jim Beam’s FAQ lists the flagship at 97 calories, 0 g carbs per 1.5 fl oz — the same USDA row. Maker’s Mark, Evan Williams, Wild Turkey 101: if the label is unflavored bourbon, do not invent 0.1 g. TTB does not require a Nutrition Facts panel on most spirits. For calories by proof see bourbon calories. For drink count, how much whiskey to get drunk.
Mash bill is not a dessert. Bourbon is at least 51% corn. Yeast eats the sugar; the still takes ethanol. If a bottle tastes like dessert and the neck says honey, believe the neck.
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central: 80-proof distilled spirits — 0 g sugar, 0 g carbohydrate, ~97 kcal / 1.5 fl oz.
- TTB 27 CFR 5.143: straight bourbon — no added coloring/flavoring.
- Jim Beam FAQ: 97 kcal, 0 g carb per 1.5 fl oz on the flagship.