Whiskey Maple BBQ Sauce, the sweet bestseller from Kansas City
Rufus Teague's Whiskey Maple BBQ Sauce is a dark red, sweet barbecue sauce with bourbon whiskey, maple syrup, and brown sugar. Smooth, sweet, and lightly smoky. Not a hot sauce, but the best-selling classic of the range, bottled in the signature flask-style bottle.
Whiskey Maple BBQ Sauce is the favorite sweet BBQ sauce from Kansas City’s Rufus Teague and the brand's top seller. 2% maple syrup and 1% bourbon whiskey give it a smooth, warm profile, complemented by brown sugar, molasses, and a hint of smoke. The recipe remains a family affair, but we are happy to share a few ingredients: pureed raisins, orange juice, a dash of Worcestershire sauce, and a spoonful of anchovy paste for savory depth. It is no wonder this sauce is the best-selling one.
Whiskey, maple syrup, dark sweetness
You first taste the warm sweetness of maple syrup and brown sugar, then the bourbon comes through, soft and round, with a hint of smoke at the end.
The whiskey is there, but subtle: it gives the sauce a warm, almost caramel-like depth, without any alcoholic burn. Maple syrup and molasses make it smooth and dark, while Worcestershire sauce and anchovy paste provide savory umami to balance the sweetness. The result is sweet, smooth, and warm—a sauce that quickly makes friends.
On the spoon, it is smooth and thick, deep dark red, and almost syrupy. This is exactly how it coats meat later on, glistening as soon as the heat caramelizes the sugar and syrup. Those who like bourbon will find a subtle reminder of it here, without the sauce tasting like a bar.
The glaze for shiny ribs
Sweet whiskey BBQ sauce is the perfect glaze: on spare ribs, pulled pork, pork neck, and burgers, it caramelizes into a glossy crust.
Apply it as a glaze in the final minutes of cooking, and the sugar will turn into a sticky, shiny layer on the grill. Its sweetness also pairs perfectly with burgers, bratwurst, and beef steak. Because it is mild and not at all spicy, children love it too, and it makes for a small treat as a dip for sweet potato fries.
Those who prefer it smokier should try the Smoky Apple, and those looking for fire should try the Blazin Hot. But there is a reason why Whiskey Maple is the best-selling sauce in the line. A splash also makes the whole pan rounder in chili or baked beans.
Whiskey sauce in a whiskey flask
Rufus Teague is the BBQ brand from John McCone of Kansas City, founded in 2004—and Whiskey Maple is their best-selling flagship. When his wife gave him his first grill, no one suspected it would lead to one of America’s most well-known BBQ brands.
It all started with a grill for Father’s Day: John experimented, bought a smoker, and soon began cooking for his colleagues until they sent him off to competitions. This barbecue hobby eventually grew into a brand that has made its way to Europe.
To this day, Rufus Teague bottles his sauces in flat, 16-ounce bottles styled after a whiskey flask. For the Whiskey Maple, which contains a shot of bourbon itself, this bottle is a perfect fit. The bottle shape is based on an invented legend, according to which an old BBQ master named Rufus Teague once sold his sauce in hip flasks.
Like all six sauces we carry from the brand, Whiskey Maple is gluten-free, kosher, and made without GMOs using natural ingredients. For over 20 years, Rufus Teague has stood for honest barbecue from the heart of America.
It is the bestseller in our Rufus Teague range, and if you only want to try one sauce, this is the one. That is the taste of the Kansas City classic.