Bear Fight Whiskey: Kentucky Reserve and American Single Malt Reviews

 

Next Century Spirits is headquartered in Zebulon, North Carolina, and bills itself as a full-service distilled spirits and marketing company. What they've created is a way to hyper-age whiskey in three hours rather than waiting for years. Next Century has patented the process, called Spiranova™, along with the machinery that drives it. In 2018, they launched Creek Water Whiskey along with the musical artist, Yelawolf. If you're curious, I reviewed Creek Water Whiskey back in 2022.

 

We are not exploring hyper-aged whiskey today. I'm just providing you with background on the distillery. Today's subject is its in-house brand, Bear Fight Whiskey. Established in 2022 by Scott Bolin and Joel Pawlak, one of its founding investors is Seth MacFarlane.

 

"In a world where every triumph deserves a toast, there's only one drink that truly embodies the spirit of  victory: Bear Fight Whiskey. Crafted with the relentless determination of champions and the unmistakable  taste of triumph, Bear Fight is more than just a whiskey—it's a celebration in every sip. Born from the fiery  passion of those with an unyielding fighting spirit, Bear Fight whiskey is meticulously crafted to bring  seasoned whiskey aficionados and newcomers alike together around a whiskey that's just damn good!" – Bear Fight Whiskey

 

We'll dive deep into two of its offerings: Bear Fight Kentucky Reserve Whiskey, which, as you can tell from the name, is obviously sourced, and Bear Fight American Single Malt Whiskey, which was distilled in-house and traditionally matured.

 

Bear Fight Whiskey was kind enough to provide me with samples of each in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest reviews. Let's #DrinkCurious and discover how they turned out!

Bear Fight American Single Malt Whiskey

 

• Whiskey Type: American Single Malt
• Distiller: Next Century Spirits
• Age: 3 years
• Mashbill: 100% malted barley
• Cooperage: Matured in first-fill Bourbon barrels, then finished in used Sherry and smoked peat casks
• Alcohol Content: 45% ABV (90°)
• Price per 750mL: $46.99

 

Appearance: I used a Glencairn glass to sip this whiskey neat. The liquid inside was the color of golden straw. It produced a medium rim with thick, fast, crazed tears.

 

Nose: I let this single malt rest in my glass for about 15 minutes before beginning my nosing. The malt and sherry notes were bold. I didn't find anything resembling smoky or peaty. As I continued my journey, I detected vanilla, sweet oak, and lemongrass. Drawing the aroma through my lips revealed peanuts and almonds.

 

Palate: Bear Fight American Single Malt Whiskey possessed a thin, airy mouthfeel. Lemongrass, honey, and a whisp of smoke hit the front of my palate. The middle featured figs, apricots, and toffee, while the back tasted of mixed nuts, mild oak, and older leather.

 

Finish: The sipping experience lasted only 0:48. Toffee, mixed nuts, lightly smoked oak, leather, and malt remained. It was short and level.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: I've been an early adopter and a big fan of the American Single Malt Whiskey category. I love how it differentiates itself from Scotch or Irish whiskeys, and it has truly been coming into its own over the last handful of years.

 

Most American Single Malts are unpeated. I get super excited when peated ones show up. Now, to be clear, this whiskey is not peated – it is simply finished in a peated cask. That influence was far milder than I would have desired; the sherry notes (I'm assuming it is Oloroso due to its nuttiness) dominated.

 

Despite being an American Single Malt, this one seemed… well… Scotchy, about the closest I can nail it down to is something like Jura 10. So, I tested that theory - the Bear Fight was a smidge smokier while the Jura was a bit more malty. But, yeah, they were damned close.

 

That's a long segue to render a rating, right? Right. I like Jura, and I feel the same about Bear Fight American Single Malt Whiskey. While I was disappointed it wasn't more peaty, this is an excellent toe-dip for the peat-curious. I can't help but wonder how this would perform at a higher proof; yet, that would detract from making it an experience for peat newbies. Despite my wish list, Bear Fight American Single Malt Whiskey is good, affordable, and worth picking up a Bottle.

 

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Bear Fight Kentucky Reserve Whiskey

 

 

• Whiskey Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon
• Distiller: Undisclosed Kentucky distillery
• Age: 3 years
• Mashbill: 70% corn, 21% rye, 9% malted barley
• Cooperage: Matured in new, 53-gallon charred oak barrels, then finished in former Reposado Tequila casks
• Alcohol Content: 45% ABV (90°)
• Price per 750mL: $37.99

 

Appearance: I sampled this Bourbon neat in a Glencairn glass. I also gave it plenty of time to rest, as I was unsure how the Tequila barrel would impact it. It presented as coppery, like a new penny, with a thin rim and tightly packed, medium-width, lightning-fast tears.

 

Nose: The first smells were musty and slightly smoky, then I was reminded of roasted corn. Vanilla and caramel came next, yet there was something hidden beneath. As I continued sniffing, the air took on a salty, chocolatey quality. When I brought the vapor into my mouth, I found that it tasted like dried apricots.

 

Palate: With the first sip, I experienced an oily, viscous texture. I took a punch of salted dark chocolate to my palate. On my second, I identified roasted corn, rye spice, and mild vanilla on the front, with white pepper and salted caramel on my mid-palate. The back included smoked oak, dark chocolate, and earth.

 

Finish: Heavy dark chocolate, smoked oak, white pepper, roasted corn, and earth seemed to park itself on my tongue; my throat, however, seemed unimpacted. It was a drying finish that offered no alcohol burn. Most of the flavors faded quickly; the earth and dark chocolate outlasted them all. The duration was 1:01.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Let's get one thing out of the way. I'm not a fan of tequila. However, I've had tequila-barrel-aged whiskeys before and found them interesting. I would classify Bear Fight Kentucky Reserve Whiskey to fall into the latter.

 

I believe anyone looking for a Bourbon that runs off the beaten path will find Bear Fight Kentucky Reserve Whiskey to be a nice diversion. I wish the finish lasted longer. Yet, at the end of the day, it deserves your attention and takes my Bottle rating.

 

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Final Thoughts: Both of these Bear Fight whiskeys were decidedly different, and that's cool. I tip my Whiskeyfellow cap to Next Century Spirits for not hyper-aging these whiskeys and, instead, allowing them to mature naturally. Which is my favorite? I'd go with the American Single Malt only because it was so off-profile for any American Single Malt I've had. Cheers!

 

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit, but begs you to do so responsibly.