A standard 1.5-ounce shot of 80-proof whiskey contains about 97 calories. Higher proof means more calories. Lower proof means fewer. That's genuinely the whole formula. Brand name, age statement, fancy packaging, barrel char level — none of it matters for calorie count. Only alcohol content does.
We've calculated the exact calorie count for 50+ popular whiskey brands so you can stop Googling each one individually. Whether you're tracking macros, cutting weight, or just curious before you pour that second Knob Creek, the math is below. We've organized everything by whiskey type — bourbon, scotch, Irish, rye, Japanese, and Canadian — so you can find your bottle fast and get back to drinking it.
One thing worth knowing upfront: whiskey has zero carbs, zero sugar, and zero fat. Every single calorie comes from alcohol itself. That makes whiskey one of the simplest drinks to account for in a food diary — if you know the proof, you know the calories. No need to scan a nutrition label (whiskey bottles don't even have one in the U.S., because the TTB regulates spirits separately from the FDA).
The Calorie Formula: Why Proof Is the Only Number That Matters
Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram — compared to 4 for protein and carbs, and 9 for fat. Since whiskey is just water and ethanol (with trace flavor compounds from aging that contribute essentially zero calories), the calorie count is a pure function of how much alcohol is in the glass.
Here's the precise formula, if you're into that sort of thing:
Calories = volume (oz) x ABV (decimal) x 29.5735 x 0.789 x 7
Breaking that down: you convert ounces to milliliters (multiply by 29.5735), then convert to grams of pure alcohol (multiply by the density of ethanol, 0.789 g/mL), then convert to calories (multiply by 7 cal/g). It sounds complicated, but it simplifies nicely.
You don't need a calculator. Here's the shortcut that works for any whiskey:
Calories per 1.5oz shot ≈ proof x 0.82
That gets you within a calorie or two of the precise answer every time. Even simpler to remember: every 10 proof points above 80 adds roughly 10 more calories to a standard 1.5oz shot. Here's the quick reference:
- 80 proof (40% ABV) = ~97 calories
- 86 proof (43% ABV) = ~106 calories
- 90 proof (45% ABV) = ~110 calories
- 100 proof (50% ABV) = ~123 calories
- 114 proof (57% ABV) = ~140 calories
- Barrel proof (~130 proof / 65% ABV) = ~160 calories
So when someone tells you that one bourbon brand has "fewer calories" than another at the same proof, they're either confused or selling something. Whiskey is whiskey — it's ethanol and water. The ABV on the label is your calorie label. There's no secret ingredient in Maker's Mark that makes it lower-calorie than Buffalo Trace. They're both 90 proof. They both have 110 calories per shot. End of story.
Whiskey Calories by Brand: 50+ Brands Compared
We ran the numbers for every major whiskey brand using the formula above. All values are for a standard 1.5oz (44mL) shot, with a per-ounce column for those of you measuring differently — especially useful if you're pouring a 2oz rocks glass or a generous home pour. Organized by type so you can find your bottle fast.
Bourbon
| Brand | ABV | Proof | Cal (1.5oz) | Cal (1oz) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jim Beam | 40% | 80 | 97 | 65 |
| Basil Hayden's | 40% | 80 | 97 | 65 |
| Evan Williams Black | 43% | 86 | 106 | 70 |
| Old Forester 86 | 43% | 86 | 106 | 70 |
| Buffalo Trace | 45% | 90 | 110 | 73 |
| Maker's Mark | 45% | 90 | 110 | 73 |
| Bulleit Bourbon | 45% | 90 | 110 | 73 |
| Eagle Rare | 45% | 90 | 110 | 73 |
| Woodford Reserve | 45.2% | 90.4 | 111 | 74 |
| Michter's US*1 | 45.7% | 91.4 | 112 | 75 |
| Larceny | 46% | 92 | 113 | 75 |
| Blanton's | 46.5% | 93 | 114 | 76 |
| Elijah Craig Small Batch | 47% | 94 | 115 | 77 |
| 1792 Small Batch | 46.85% | 93.7 | 115 | 77 |
| Knob Creek | 50% | 100 | 123 | 82 |
| Four Roses Single Barrel | 50% | 100 | 123 | 82 |
| Wild Turkey 101 | 50.5% | 101 | 124 | 83 |
| Old Grand-Dad 114 | 57% | 114 | 140 | 93 |
| Old Forester 1920 | 57.5% | 115 | 141 | 94 |
| Booker's (varies) | ~62.5% | ~125 | ~154 | ~102 |
A few things jump out immediately. Jim Beam and Basil Hayden's sit at the bottom at 97 calories — same proof, same calories, despite a $25 price difference. Both are solid bourbons; one just has better marketing and a lighter mash bill. Booker's nearly doubles that at 154 calories per shot because it's uncut barrel proof straight from the barrel. If you're a Buffalo Trace or Maker's Mark drinker, you're looking at a moderate 110 calories per pour — right in the sweet spot of flavor-to-calorie efficiency.
The biggest calorie jumps happen when you cross the 100-proof threshold. Wild Turkey 101, Knob Creek, and Four Roses Single Barrel all sit at 123-124 calories. Still quite reasonable, but noticeably more than the 80-proof options. If you love high-proof bourbon (and honestly, who doesn't), Old Forester 1920 at 141 calories per shot delivers some of the best flavor-per-calorie in the business.
Scotch Whisky
| Brand | ABV | Proof | Cal (1.5oz) | Cal (1oz) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glenfiddich 12 | 40% | 80 | 97 | 65 |
| Glenlivet 12 | 40% | 80 | 97 | 65 |
| Johnnie Walker Black | 40% | 80 | 97 | 65 |
| Johnnie Walker Blue | 40% | 80 | 97 | 65 |
| Chivas Regal 12 | 40% | 80 | 97 | 65 |
| Macallan 12 Double Cask | 43% | 86 | 106 | 70 |
| Lagavulin 16 | 43% | 86 | 106 | 70 |
| Laphroaig 10 | 43% | 86 | 106 | 70 |
| Oban 14 | 43% | 86 | 106 | 70 |
| Balvenie 12 DoubleWood | 43% | 86 | 106 | 70 |
| Highland Park 12 | 43% | 86 | 106 | 70 |
| Talisker 10 | 45.8% | 91.6 | 112 | 75 |
| Ardbeg 10 | 46% | 92 | 113 | 75 |
Notice the pattern? Most scotch lands at either 97 or 106 calories per shot. That's because the vast majority of scotch is bottled at exactly 40% or 43% ABV — there's very little variation in the standard ranges. The outliers are Talisker and Ardbeg, which come in a touch hotter and land around 112-113 calories.
Here's a fun comparison: Johnnie Walker Blue and Johnnie Walker Black have identical calories. That $180 price gap is buying you flavor complexity and rarity, not extra energy. If you're counting calories, Black Label is doing the same metabolic work as Blue Label at a fraction of the cost.
Irish Whiskey
| Brand | ABV | Proof | Cal (1.5oz) | Cal (1oz) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jameson | 40% | 80 | 97 | 65 |
| Bushmills Original | 40% | 80 | 97 | 65 |
| Tullamore D.E.W. | 40% | 80 | 97 | 65 |
| Redbreast 12 | 40% | 80 | 97 | 65 |
| Green Spot | 40% | 80 | 97 | 65 |
Irish whiskey is the easiest category to remember: they're all 97 calories per shot. Nearly every major Irish whiskey on the market bottles at 40% ABV — it's practically a national standard. Redbreast 12 and Green Spot deliver dramatically more complexity than a standard Jameson, but your calorie tracker won't know the difference. This makes Irish whiskey the go-to category if you want guaranteed low-calorie pours without checking labels.
Rye Whiskey
| Brand | ABV | Proof | Cal (1.5oz) | Cal (1oz) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Templeton Rye | 40% | 80 | 97 | 65 |
| Bulleit Rye | 45% | 90 | 110 | 73 |
| Sazerac Rye | 45% | 90 | 110 | 73 |
| High West Double Rye | 46% | 92 | 113 | 75 |
| Rittenhouse Rye BiB | 50% | 100 | 123 | 82 |
| WhistlePig 10 | 50% | 100 | 123 | 82 |
Rye runs the gamut from 97 to 123 calories. If you're making an Old Fashioned with Rittenhouse (a bartender favorite for its bold spice and high proof), you're starting at 123 calories before the sugar cube and bitters. Swap in Templeton and you'd start at 97 — a 26-calorie savings per cocktail. Over a three-round evening, that's almost 80 calories of difference from the base spirit alone.
Japanese Whisky
| Brand | ABV | Proof | Cal (1.5oz) | Cal (1oz) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suntory Toki | 43% | 86 | 106 | 70 |
| Hibiki Harmony | 43% | 86 | 106 | 70 |
| Nikka Coffey Grain | 45% | 90 | 110 | 73 |
Canadian Whisky
| Brand | ABV | Proof | Cal (1.5oz) | Cal (1oz) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crown Royal | 40% | 80 | 97 | 65 |
| Canadian Club | 40% | 80 | 97 | 65 |
Japanese and Canadian whiskies follow the same physics. No surprises here. Suntory Toki and Hibiki Harmony both clock in at 106 calories because they're both 43% ABV — a common bottling strength for Japanese whisky. Crown Royal and Canadian Club stick to the 40% global baseline. If you're a highball drinker, Toki with soda water is one of the better calorie-conscious cocktails you can order: 106 calories from the whisky, zero from the soda.
Whiskey vs. Other Drinks: Calorie Comparison
Whiskey's reputation as a "diet-friendly" drink isn't just marketing. When you stack it up against what most people are actually ordering at a bar on a Friday night, straight whiskey looks remarkably restrained.
| Drink | Serving Size | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Whiskey (neat, 80 proof) | 1.5 oz | 97 |
| Vodka (80 proof) | 1.5 oz | 97 |
| Light Beer | 12 oz | ~100 |
| White Wine | 5 oz | ~120 |
| Red Wine | 5 oz | ~125 |
| Regular Beer | 12 oz | ~150 |
| Margarita | 8 oz | ~275 |
| Long Island Iced Tea | 8 oz | ~290 |
| Piña Colada | 8 oz | ~490 |
The takeaway is clear: straight spirits are among the lowest-calorie alcoholic drinks available. A 1.5oz whiskey neat has the same calories as a vodka soda — and roughly a third of what's in that margarita your friend ordered. Whiskey and vodka are calorically identical at the same proof, which surprises people who assume clear spirits are somehow "lighter." They're not. Same alcohol content, same calories.
The calories in cocktails come overwhelmingly from mixers: simple syrup, juice, cream, soda. The base spirit itself is almost never the problem. That piña colada at 490 calories? About 350 of those come from coconut cream and pineapple juice. The rum accounts for under 100. The gap between a whiskey neat and a tiki drink is the gap between "having a drink" and "having dessert."
Beer deserves a special mention because of volume. A single regular beer at 150 calories doesn't seem terrible — but most people drink two or three. That's 300-450 calories from beer versus 194-220 from two whiskeys. And beer brings carbs to the table (10-15g per bottle), while whiskey brings zero. For anyone counting both calories and carbs, neat whiskey wins by a wide margin.
How to Choose Lower-Calorie Whiskey
If you're watching calories and don't want to give up whiskey (good — you shouldn't have to), there are a handful of practical choices that actually make a measurable difference.
Pick lower-proof bottles. This is the single biggest lever you can pull. An 80-proof whiskey saves you 26 calories per shot compared to a 100-proof one. Over a three-drink evening, that's 78 fewer calories — roughly the equivalent of a small apple. Jameson, Basil Hayden's, Glenfiddich 12, and Crown Royal all sit at 40% ABV and all deliver genuine quality. Basil Hayden's in particular is a terrific bourbon that happens to be the lowest-calorie option in its category — light, approachable, with enough spice to keep things interesting.
Drink it neat, on the rocks, or with water. A whiskey with a splash of water adds zero calories and can actually open up the flavor profile (especially with cask-strength pours). A whiskey and Coke? That adds 140 calories from the soda alone. A whiskey sour with fresh lemon and simple syrup adds about 70-80 calories from the sweetener. Soda water is your calorie-free friend here. If you need a mixer, diet ginger ale or soda water with a citrus twist keeps you at or near zero added calories while still giving you something to sip on.
Know your pour sizes. This is where most people's calorie math falls apart. A standard rocks pour at a decent bar is 2 ounces — that's roughly 130 calories for a 90-proof bourbon. A generous home pour can easily hit 3 ounces without you realizing it (165 calories). If you've never measured your "usual pour" at home, do it once with a jigger. Most people are shocked to discover they've been pouring doubles.
Meanwhile, a cocktail like an Old Fashioned runs about 150-180 calories depending on how heavy-handed you are with the sugar, and a Whiskey Sour lands around 200. An after-dinner Manhattan? About 185 calories, mostly from the sweet vermouth. Neat pours keep things honest because you can see exactly what you're drinking.
Don't sacrifice flavor for calories. Here's the genuinely good news: flavor complexity has absolutely nothing to do with calorie count. Redbreast 12 has the same 97 calories as Canadian Club, despite being one of the finest whiskeys on the planet. A beautifully balanced Glenfiddich 12 won't cost you a single calorie more than a bottom-shelf blend. Buy the whiskey you actually enjoy drinking — life's too short for bad bourbon — and simply adjust proof if you want to trim calories.
Does Whiskey Make You Gain Weight?
Short answer: whiskey alone is unlikely to be the culprit. At 97-123 calories per shot, a drink or two fits comfortably within most daily calorie budgets. A 2oz pour of Buffalo Trace has fewer calories than a banana.
The more nuanced answer involves how your body actually processes alcohol. Alcohol has 7 calories per gram, but your body can't store ethanol as fat directly. Instead, your liver treats alcohol as a toxin and prioritizes metabolizing it over everything else — which means fat burning temporarily pauses while your body deals with the booze. Think of it as a metabolic speed bump, not a fat-creation machine. Your body processes the alcohol first, then goes back to burning the usual fuels.
The real weight-gain culprits associated with drinking are almost always behavioral:
- Drunk snacking — your inhibitions are down, that pizza looks incredible, and suddenly you've eaten 1,200 extra calories at midnight that you wouldn't have touched sober
- Sugary mixers — cocktails with juice, cream, or soda can double or triple the calorie count of the base spirit
- Large portions — the difference between "a drink" and "three drinks" is the difference between 100 and 400 calories, and alcohol makes that progression feel seamless
- Frequency — an occasional whiskey is metabolically negligible; a daily habit of 3-4 pours adds 400-500 calories that accumulate over weeks and months
Moderate consumption — one to two drinks in a sitting, a few times a week — within your overall daily calorie budget is entirely manageable for most people. Pair it with a proper meal rather than replacing a meal with it. Speaking of which, bourbon and steak is a pairing where the whiskey is actually the low-calorie part of the plate.
We go deeper on the science of whiskey and weight gain in a dedicated piece if you want the full metabolic breakdown, including what the research actually says about alcohol and body composition.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many calories in a double whiskey?
A double (3oz) of 80-proof whiskey has about 194 calories. At 90 proof, that's about 220 calories. At 100 proof, you're looking at 246 calories. The math scales linearly — just double whatever the 1.5oz number is in the tables above. Worth noting: many bars pour doubles as 2.5oz rather than 3oz, so your actual double may be slightly less.
Does whiskey have carbs or sugar?
Zero carbs, zero sugar, zero fat. Pure distilled whiskey gets 100% of its calories from alcohol. The distillation process removes all the sugars that were in the original grain mash — they were consumed by yeast during fermentation and the remaining wash is distilled into pure spirit. Nothing caloric survives the still except ethanol.
Flavored whiskeys are the major exception: products like Fireball, Crown Royal Peach, and Jack Daniel's Honey add significant sugar back in after distillation. A shot of Fireball has about 11 grams of sugar and 108 calories. If it says "flavored" on the label, the zero-carb rule no longer applies. More details in our carbs in bourbon guide.
Is whiskey keto-friendly?
Yes — technically. Zero carbs means it won't kick you out of ketosis from a macronutrient standpoint. But alcohol does temporarily pause fat burning while your body metabolizes the ethanol, which works against the whole point of being in ketosis in the first place. Your body essentially hits "pause" on ketone production until the alcohol is cleared.
If you're strict keto, a 1.5oz neat pour is your safest bet. Avoid whiskey cocktails with sugar, and definitely skip anything with juice or simple syrup. Read our full whiskey and keto guide for the complete picture on how to drink without derailing your diet.
Is scotch lower in calories than bourbon?
Only if it's lower proof. A 40% ABV scotch and a 40% ABV bourbon have identical calories — there is literally no chemical difference in caloric content between whiskey types at the same ABV. The ethanol doesn't care whether it aged in a sherry cask in Speyside or a charred oak barrel in Kentucky.
However, many popular bourbons are bottled at higher proofs (90-100+ is common), while most scotch sticks to 40-43%. So in practice, the average bourbon pour does tend to have slightly more calories than the average scotch pour — but that's entirely a proof difference, not a whiskey-type difference. We break this down fully in our bourbon vs scotch calorie comparison.
How many calories in a bottle of whiskey?
A standard 750mL bottle of 80-proof whiskey contains roughly 1,640 calories. At 90 proof, that's about 1,845 calories. At 100 proof, it jumps to approximately 2,050 calories. A 750mL bottle holds about 25.4 ounces, or roughly 17 standard 1.5oz shots. Multiply the per-shot calorie count by 17 and you'll get the bottle total. For perspective, that 80-proof bottle contains about the same calories as a large pepperoni pizza.
Does aging affect whiskey calories?
Not in any meaningful way. Aging develops flavor through chemical reactions with the wood — extracting vanillin, tannins, and color compounds — but these contribute negligible calories. While a small amount of alcohol evaporates through the barrel over time (the "angel's share"), the whiskey is proofed down to its final ABV before bottling anyway. A 12-year scotch at 43% ABV has the exact same calories as a 3-year scotch at 43% ABV. You're paying for flavor development and patience, not extra energy.
Do whiskey mixers add a lot of calories?
They can completely transform the equation. A whiskey neat is 97 calories. Add regular Coca-Cola (8oz) and you're at roughly 235. Add ginger beer for a Kentucky Mule and you're at about 195. A Whiskey Sour with simple syrup and egg white runs around 200 calories. An Irish Coffee with sugar and cream can hit 250+.
The lowest-calorie mixer options are soda water (zero calories), diet sodas (zero to minimal calories), and a simple squeeze of citrus. If you're watching your intake, the mixer choice matters significantly more than which whiskey brand you're pouring. A bottom-shelf bourbon with soda water has fewer calories than a top-shelf bourbon with Coke.
