Review: Breckenridge Honey Flavored Whiskey

Founded in 2008 by Dr. Bryan Nolt in Breckenridge, Colorado, Breckenridge Distillery built its reputation around high-rye blended bourbon and the claim of being the “World’s Highest Distillery.” From the beginning, the distillery’s approach centered on marrying whiskey distilled in-house with sourced stocks, creating a portfolio that has become one of the defining names in Colorado whiskey.

In 2025, Breckenridge Honey Flavored Whiskey debuted as the official whiskey of the NFL’s Denver Broncos before expanding to national distribution in 2026. At its foundation is a proprietary blend of Breckenridge-distilled bourbon and high-rye bourbons sourced from undisclosed distilleries outside Colorado. The in-house bourbon is fermented from a mashbill of 56% corn, 38% rye, and 6% malted barley. Before meeting the honey, the bourbons spent 5 to 6 years in oak, with an average age of 5 years and 4 months.

The bourbon blend is first reduced to 80 proof, then combined with Goldswarm honey harvested from Nigeria’s Montane Forest region. Not just any honey, but rainforest honey from West Africa. According to Breckenridge, as much as one pound of raw Goldswarm honey is added per gallon of whiskey. The whiskey and honey spend approximately five days together before the final reduction to 72 proof and bottling.

The honey itself comes with a story that stretches far beyond Colorado. Goldswarm founder Omar Lababidi grew up in the state, but traces his connection to the product back to a formative teenage camping trip in Nigeria. During that trip, he was served toasted bread with honey unlike anything he had encountered before. That experience ultimately led him back to the region years later.

Goldswarm honey is gathered from wild bees feeding on the nectar of indigenous Nigerian plants and trees, free from synthetic chemicals and commercial agricultural practices. The pollen sources available to those bees differ dramatically from the clover-based honey that dominates much of the American market. Rather than drawing from cultivated fields, the bees forage within a rainforest ecosystem shaped by an entirely different collection of flowering plants, trees, and seasonal conditions.

With high-rye bourbon serving as the foundation and West African rainforest honey supplying the sweetening component, Breckenridge has assembled a flavored whiskey built from ingredients that originate thousands of miles apart. Whether that combination proves capable of generating the kind of buzz the distillery is aiming for remains to be seen.

Breckenridge Honey Flavored Whiskey Review

The first thing that stands out is the extremely pale yellow color. Considering the base whiskey averages 5 years and 4 months of age, the appearance is surprisingly light.

The nose opens with sweet golden raisins before shifting toward a memory of Hubba Bubba Dr. Pepper chewing gum, complete with the syrup-filled center. From there, candied orange peel and sliced green apple round out the aroma. Given the prominence of clover honey in American food culture, one might expect a stronger honey presence on the nose. Instead, the honey remains relatively quiet, allowing the fruit and candy-like aromas to take center stage.

That changes immediately on the palate. Honey-filled hard candy arrives first, joined by the cinnamon spice of red chewing gum. The mid-palate develops into the blended fruit profile of red Hawaiian Punch. As expected from a honey-infused whiskey, the mouth-coating quality is substantial, yet it stops short of becoming syrupy. There is enough viscosity to provide body while still maintaining the drinkability expected from a neat pour.

The finish is brief, though that is hardly surprising at 72 proof. It begins with Kellogg’s Honey Smacks cereal before transitioning into candied pineapple and the spicy sweetness of cinnamon candy.

As a whole, this works better as a neat sipper than anticipated. It is unquestionably sweet, yet it remains just shy of becoming cloying. The cinnamon-driven spice continues to make itself known, preventing the honey from taking total control of the experience. Casual whiskey drinkers are likely to find plenty to enjoy here, and it could serve as an effective gateway pour for those beginning to explore whiskey neat. More seasoned enthusiasts may find the sweetness excessive on its own, though it could also prove useful in cocktails such as a Gold Rush, a Brown Derby, or an Old Fashioned prepared without additional sweetener.

72 proof.

B / $38

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