Above Board
Above Board
You Don’t Have to Change How You Drink, Just What You Pour.
Product Details
Zero sugar liqueurs
Plant-based sweeteners
Gluten-free
Awards
Irish Cream | Double Gold, 97 Points | PR%F Awards
Irish Cream | Gold | PR%F Awards
Coffee Liqueur | Silver | PR%F Awards
Coffee Liqueur | Gold | PR%F Awards
Orange Liqueur | Silver | PR%F Awards
Orange Liqueur | Gold | PR%F Awards
About
Above Board
Above Board is a Southern California-based spirits company making zero and low-sugar liqueurs for cocktails. The current portfolio includes Orange, Coffee, and Cream Liqueurs, along with a zero-sugar Simple Syrup. The products are designed to replace traditionally high-sugar cocktail ingredients without requiring consumers or bartenders to change the cocktails they already drink and make. Above Board uses a gluten-free neutral grain spirit and a proprietary combination of plant-based monkfruit and allulose in place of traditional sugar. The brand is woman-owned and focuses on creating full-flavor alternatives for consumers looking for lower-sugar cocktail options.
BrandAmped Relationship
Portfolio Brand
Above Board fits directly into BrandAmped’s product thesis because it solves a clear problem within an established category. Consumers are paying more attention to sugar and ingredients, while many of the liqueurs used in classic cocktails have changed very little.
The products also make sense from an on-premise perspective. Above Board can be incorporated into cocktails that accounts are already selling, including Margaritas, Espresso Martinis, coffee cocktails, and other classics, while giving operators a way to offer no- and low-sugar alternatives without creating an entirely separate cocktail program.
Founding Story
Above Board was founded in Southern California by Nicole and Brent Slone. The idea came from their own experience trying to find cocktails that fit an active, health-conscious lifestyle. Even at good restaurants and cocktail bars, they found that most cocktails relied heavily on sugar, while the lower-sugar alternative was usually something simple like a tequila soda.
Nicole and Brent began experimenting with recipes at home and eventually started working with plant-based sweeteners including monkfruit and allulose. They realized they could use those ingredients to recreate the types of liqueurs bartenders already rely on while removing the traditional sugar load.
The company launched in late 2021 and developed into a portfolio of zero and low-sugar cocktail ingredients. Above Board now produces Orange, Coffee, and Cream Liqueurs and Simple Syrup, with the products designed for both professional bars and consumers making cocktails at home.
Founder :
Nicole Slone
Nicole Slone is the founder and CEO of Above Board. She began developing the original formulas at home after becoming frustrated by the lack of good lower-sugar options available for cocktails. Her work focused on finding ingredients and formulations that could provide the sweetness and flavor expected from traditional liqueurs without relying on conventional sugar.
Founder :
Brent Slone
Brent Slone joined Nicole as her partner in building the company, bringing a background in business, entrepreneurship, and technology. Together, they developed Above Board from the original at-home formulations into a commercial spirits brand focused on the growing demand for better-for-you cocktail ingredients.
