Our sweet and smokey take on this classic is a beautiful blend of spice, vanilla and caramel notes. If you’re new to bourbon, here’s our recommendations of how to serve this type of whiskey that’s strongly associated with the American south.

To be a ‘bourbon’ this spirit must be made in the USA. Recently awarded a gold medal at the 2020 San Francisco World Spirits Competition our Smoked Honey Bourbon is a premium bourbon distilled and aged by our partners at List Distillery in Florida. Using his 35 years of expertise and knowledge, Master Distiller Edie Zurita ages the bourbon for 18 months in white American oak barrels before it is finished at our distillery in Buckinghamshire. Here, our award-winning Master Distiller Jamie Baggott infuses it with our signature honey which has been smoked by Upton Smokery in the Cotswolds.

At our distillery, we store it for three months in once used bourbon casks to pick up a new level of char, a deeper colour and develop further the oak spice, vanilla and caramel notes. Before bottling we finish with Cotswold water and infuse with smoke 100% British honey from our hives for a sweet and smokey taste on the palate.

Perfect Serves

Drinking it neat (at room temperature and without ice) or on the rocks are both great ways of tasting the big, bold flavours of bourbon, but it also blends harmoniously into some classic cocktails for an altogether different kind of bourbon drinking experience. Try it in an Old Fashioned with bitters over ice and garnished with orange peel or in a Bourbon Sour for a sharp but sweet combination with egg white for a touch of flair. For a true celebratory drink, you can’t beat a Kentucky 75 - a Champagne cocktail like the French 75 but made with bourbon instead of gin.

If you’re just looking for a premium mixer, the new Coca-Cola Signature Mixers have been co-created by leading bartenders and crafted to be enjoyed with dark spirits. There are four variants to try; Smoky Notes, Spicy Notes, Herbal Notes and Woody Notes. What’s more they come in a sleek Hutchinson glass bottle – a nod to the silhouette of the first-ever Coca-Cola bottle from 1899.

Food Pairings

Bourbon pairs fantastically with chilli, smoked fish, gamey stews and cheese boards. In the warmer months, it is perfect with BBQ meats and hot wings. Try making our Keepr’s Smoked Honey Bourbon BBQ Sauce. The bourbon adds a gorgeous flavour but also helps the BBQ sauce keep for longer – that’s if there is any left at the end of the day!

Start by making your own BBQ sauce following a recipe of your choice (typical ingredients include tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, sugar, pepper, onions). Once made, add 1tsp smoked paprika and 1 shot of Keepr’s Smoked Honey Bourbon (per 300g of BBQ sauce). Great for ribs and chicken.