Whiskey shot calories come to 105 for a 42 g shot of 86 proof whiskey, or 250 per 100 g. What stands out is what's missing: 0 g protein, 0 g fat and 0 g sugar per shot. Nearly every calorie comes from the alcohol itself, so the proof and the number of shots set your total.
105kcal
1 1.5 oz shot · 42 g, distilled, 86 proof
0%protein
0 gProtein
0 gCarbs
0 gFat
How to burn off 105 kcal
—Walking, brisk
—Jogging
—Cycling, moderate
—Swimming
Skip the math. BodyPal counts these calories from your steps and workouts automatically.
Nutrition facts
Distilled, 86 proof · per 42 g
Calories
105 kcal
Protein
0 g
Carbohydrate
0 g
Fat
0 g
Saturated fat
0 g
Cholesterol
0 mg
Sodium
0 mg
Potassium
0 mg
Iron
0 mg
Source: USDA FoodData Central
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Verified nutrition data
Numbers on this page come from USDA FoodData Central, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s food composition database, and from manufacturer labels where a branded product is named. Last verified September 2026. How we verify our data →
Whiskey shot: calories, protein and sodium by serving
Percent of daily value uses the FDA reference of 2,000 kcal a day.
Serving
kcal
Protein
Carbs
Fat
Sodium
% DV kcal
1 shot (42 g)
105
0 g
0 g
0 g
0 mg
5%
90 proof (42 g)
110
0 g
0 g
0 g
0 mg
6%
1 fl oz (27.8 g)
70
0 g
0 g
0 g
0 mg
3%
100 g
250
0 g
0.1 g
0 g
0 mg
13%
3 × 1 shot (42 g)
315
0 g
0 mg
5 × 1 shot (42 g)
525
0 g
0 mg
Each extra shot adds another 105 calories
A standard shot in the USDA data weighs 42 g and carries 105 calories, about 5% of a 2000-calorie daily value. On its own, that is a modest number. A smaller 1 fl oz pour, at 27.8 g, lands at 70 calories, or 3% of the daily value, while a full 100 g, a bit more than two shots, reaches 250 calories and 13%.
The catch is that shots rarely come alone. Two shots reach 210 calories, three reach 315, and five reach 525. Because there is no fat, protein or fiber in the glass, nothing about the drink makes the next round feel like food. The count simply climbs in a straight line with every pour.
If you are tracking, count shots rather than evenings. A round of three is close to the calories of a small meal, with none of the protein a meal would bring. Logging each pour as it happens keeps the total honest, and BodyPal can log a shot from a photo so you don't have to type it in at the bar.
The calories come from alcohol, not from macros
Read the per 100 g column and it looks almost blank: 0 g protein, 0 g fat, 0.1 g carbs and 0.1 g sugars. Yet the same 100 g holds 250 calories. The gap is the alcohol, which supplies energy without counting as protein, fat or carbohydrate on a nutrition label.
Per shot, carbs and sugars round down to 0 g. That is why straight whiskey turns up on low-carb drink lists. It is also why the label can mislead people: a drink with no sugar is not a drink with no calories, and whiskey proves the point.
The other rows are just as quiet. Sodium is 0 mg per shot, saturated fat and cholesterol are both 0, and potassium is a token 1 mg per 100 g. There is no row to watch here beyond the calories themselves, and those track the alcohol content directly.
A 90 proof pour costs a few more calories
The default figure on this page is for 86 proof whiskey, the USDA reference row. Switch to a 90 proof bottle and the same 42 g shot rises from 105 to 110 calories, or 6% of the daily value instead of 5%. The extra comes entirely from the higher share of alcohol, since there is still no fat, protein or sugar to speak of.
That gap is small per glass, but it follows the one rule that governs every spirit: more alcohol means more calories. Bottlings labeled cask strength or barrel proof are stronger than both rows here, so expect their count per shot to run higher than either figure on this page.
Style matters far less than strength. Bourbon, rye, Scotch and Irish whiskey at the same proof land on essentially the same numbers, because aging in a barrel does not add sugar or fat. Flavored and honey whiskeys are the exception, since added sweeteners bring carbs back into the glass.
Neat or on the rocks keeps the count lowest
A shot served neat, over ice or with a splash of water stays at 105 calories, because ice and water add nothing. The moment whiskey goes into a cocktail, the mixer brings its own sugar and calories. Cola, ginger ale, sweet vermouth, syrup and juice all count, and they can push a single drink well past the whiskey alone.
If you are watching your intake, decide how many shots you want before the evening starts rather than during it. Pair drinks with a real meal that carries the protein and fiber whiskey lacks, and keep water on the table between rounds. That slows the pace without changing what is in the glass.
On a day you plan to drink, the simplest move is to leave room for it. At 105 calories a shot, two shots take up 210 of your day, a number that is easy to plan around when you know it ahead of time and easy to lose track of when you don't.
How does whiskey shot compare?
Here is how a whiskey shot stacks up against vodka, gin and Fireball, per 100 g and per usual serving.
Verdict: If you want the leanest straight spirit, vodka and gin edge out whiskey at 231 calories per 100 g against 250, though a 97-calorie vodka shot saves only a few calories over a 105-calorie whiskey shot. Fireball is the one to skip if you count calories or carbs, with 279 calories and 33.2 g of carbs per 100 g where whiskey has almost none.
Whiskey shot FAQs
How many calories are in a shot of whiskey?
A standard 1.5 oz shot (42 g) of 86 proof whiskey is 105 calories. At 90 proof the same shot is 111 calories.
Is whiskey good for weight loss?
A shot adds 105 calories with no fat and only 0.1 g of carbs per 100 g, so two shots come to 210 calories, all of it from alcohol.
Whiskey vs vodka: which shot has more calories?
Neither. At 86 proof, gin, rum, vodka and whiskey are all 250 calories per 100 g, so a 1.5 oz shot of either is 105 calories.
How many carbs are in a whiskey shot?
Almost none: 86 proof whiskey has 0.1 g of carbs per 100 g, so a 42 g shot has under 0.1 g. It also has 0 g protein and 0 g fat.
How many calories are in two shots of whiskey?
Two 42 g shots of 86 proof whiskey come to 210 calories, with 0 g protein, fat and sugar. A 90 proof whiskey runs a little higher, since each of its shots carries 110 calories instead of 105.
How many calories are in a shot of bourbon?
A 42 g shot of 86 proof bourbon has about 105 calories, the same as other whiskey at that strength. A 90 proof bourbon comes to about 110 per shot. Neither carries meaningful carbs, fat or protein.
How much whiskey is in a shot?
The shot used on this page weighs 42 g and holds 105 calories at 86 proof. A smaller 1 fl oz pour is 27.8 g and comes to 70 calories, so the size of your glass changes the count.
Does whisky spelled without the e have different calories?
No. Whisky and whiskey at the same proof share the same count: 105 calories per 42 g shot at 86 proof, or 250 per 100 g. The spelling reflects where it is made, not what is in the bottle.
