Bear Fight American Single Malt Whiskey Review

Introduction

We're kicking off Season 10 with a review of a whiskey that might have the best name in the game: Bear Fight. Specifically, we’re diving into Bear Fight American Single Malt Whiskey, a small batch release labeled as a premium product. It's aged for a minimum of three years, and while we don’t have full details on the exact distillery origin, we do know it’s part of the growing—and unpredictable—American single malt category.

American single malts are some of our favorite whiskeys to explore because every bottle feels like rolling the dice. Sometimes they lean more Scotch-like, sometimes they veer completely into their own lane. Either way, we're rarely disappointed, and this one intrigued us right out of the gate.

Let’s get into it.

Nose

Bob: I’ve been letting it air out for a little while. When I first poured it, it had a bit of a saline note, but that’s mellowed. Now I’m getting what we usually find on a blended Scotch. There’s a lot of heavy barley here, like Mott’s apple juice and a little bit of green apple with barley. It’s a pretty standard Scotch nose, which is different from what we usually get in American single malt. I’m going to give it a 6.5/10.

Brad: For me, it’s a decent amount of medicinal and grain-forward character. The first note I wrote down was young. This feels like a young barley-based whiskey. There’s a little bit of a cherry, almost like a cherry pit vibe. It’s okay—7/10.

Taste

Brad: I’d give the palate a 7.5/10. There's that medicinality again. It’s herbal, the grain’s there no matter what, but once you start drinking it, it has a really nice honey flavor that comes through. There's honey, applesauce—really nice balance. A standard, pleasant single malt.

Bob: This is the closest American single malt I’ve had to tasting like Scotch. Even the really good ones we’ve had before, like McCarthy’s, don’t lean this Scotch-like. This tastes like Monkey Shoulder or Cutty Sark with a little hint of Crown Royal Apple. It’s very sweet, but not artificial. You said applesauce—I think that’s a great note. I like this a lot. I’ll give it a 7/10.

Finish

Brad: On the finish, it stays in that herbal realm. It’s very oaky on the back end, then it gets into a nice floral place. Delicate, not long-lasting. I’ll give it a 7/10.

Bob: It’s got just enough punch at the back with some char notes. Almost like cigarette ash—it leans away from peat and more toward straight char, which I like. Keeps it from being too bland. I’ll also go 7/10 on the finish.

Balance

Brad: I think everything here works well together. Nothing’s blowing me away, but it all plays nice together. 7/10.

Bob: I agree. It’s layered enough to keep things interesting. I’ll give balance a 7.5/10.

Value

Bob: So Brad, what’s this clock in at?

Brad: It’s $47—just under $50. That’s a little hefty for a three-year-old American single malt from a small distillery.

Bob: Man, if this were $40, I’d be all over it. But at $48, you’re paying about 20% more. Still, I think it’s a really good value for what’s in the bottle. If it had even a five-year age statement, that price would feel better. I’ll give it a 7/10.

Brad: Bear Fight is putting out a really interesting, tasty Scotch-like experience for American single malt drinkers. I’ll give it a 6.5/10. I think there are better values out there, but this is a great pickup for someone wanting to expand their single malt experience.

Final Scores

Bob: I’m coming out to a total of 35/50. That’s typically the threshold where we start recommending a pour—and I am going to recommend it. This could actually be a great introductory whiskey for someone trying to get into Scotch. It brings the flavors of a blended Scotch but with a little more sweetness for the American palate.

Brad: I’m also at 35/50. This is a solid bottle. You should know what you’re getting into at the price point, but it’s totally worth it.

Conclusion

With matching scores of 35/50, Bear Fight American Single Malt lands right in our “try it or buy it” zone. It doesn’t reinvent the category, but it offers an approachable, Scotch-leaning flavor profile with just enough complexity to stay interesting. If you're curious about American single malt or want a gateway pour into Scotch, this one's worth checking out.

Thanks, Bear Fight. We’ll toast to that.