Category: Worldwide

Not everyone is lucky enough to win a bear fight.

In fact, in recent memory, the list is pretty much limited to Leonardo DiCaprio in The Revenant. Nonetheless, UPROXX sat down with ‘Suits’ star Gabriel Macht to get into an equally biting but far more enjoyable contest: a side-by-side tasting of Bear Fight Whiskey’s flagship expressions, Kentucky Reserve Bourbon Finished In Reposado Barrels and Triple Oak Finished American Single Malt.

Bear Fight Whiskey launched in 2022 with backing from Next Century Spirits and Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane as an initial investor, but its success in industry competitions and the recent addition of Gabriel Macht as creative partner and brand spokesman have many people buzzing. The brand kicked things off by winning a double gold medal at the 2021 New York International Spirits Competition and followed that up by winning double gold at The San Francisco World Spirits Competition and earning best-in-category honors at the 2022 World Whiskey Competition, all for its inaugural release of American Single Malt Whiskey.

Late last year, however, Bear Fight Whiskey launched its second SKU and first bourbon expression, Kentucky Reserve. This unique offering uses a combination of 70% corn, 21% rye, and 9% malted barley, which is then finished in barrels that previously held Reposado tequila. The resultant liquid picks up some peppery, lightly sweet notes that tequila is famous for, cast against an oak-driven, caramel-laden backbone from the bourbon base. It’s an initially head-scratching decision that ultimately helped it claw its way onto the UPROXX list of whiskey brands you need to know in 2025.

When pressed to tell us his favorite of the two, Gabriel said, “The American Single Malt! They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away, and there’s an apple flavor in there, which I love.” He added, “There’s a sweetness in it, and it’s totally approachable, so for some people who aren’t whiskey drinkers, I think they’ll be pleasantly surprised. For the people who are whiskey aficionados, it stands up. And it’s not an expensive bottle!”

He’s right; Bear Fight Whiskey’s Kentucky Reserve Bourbon is going for $38, and its American Single Malt goes for $47. With both bottles landing at less than $50 (and being offered in a bundle for a mere $80), it’s easy for consumers to choose between entering into their own solo Bear Fight or engaging in a side-by-side tasting.

Turning to Bear Fight Whiskey’s bourbon, Gabriel highlighted that the expression’s atypical finishing casks make it a bit of a disruptor, showcasing the subversive fighting spirit that undergirds the brand. “You’ve got the bourbon base, but adding the tequila cask gives it a little bit of smoke. It makes it more complicated and complex, and it’s a playful entry that combines the two ideas of a bear, right? There’s this aggressive start that claws its way in, but then once it’s (on your palate), you see the flip side where it’s almost cuddly.”

Now seems like the perfect time to see if we can pick up some of those tasting notes and have a Bear Fight of our own. In fact, let’s make it two!

Here’s our side-by-side review of Bear Fight Whiskey’s American Single Malt Whiskey and Kentucky Reserve Bourbon.

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Taste One: Bear Fight Whiskey American Single Malt Whiskey

ABV: 45%
Average Price: $47

The Whiskey:

Made in copper pot stills and utilizing 100% malted barley and spring water sourced from Raleigh, North Carolina, where the brand is based, Bear Fight Whiskey’s American Single Malt expression utilizes three different types of oak barrels: ex-bourbon for primary maturation, then finishing in sherry and smoked peat casks.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nosing notes open with classic American single malt aromas of hay, green apples, and honey, with some faint smoke, nutmeg, and caraway anchoring those light, sweet notes with an earthy base that’s easy to enjoy.

Palate: On the palate, this whiskey truly blossoms with black currants, honey, and stewed green apple notes cascading over the tongue and sticking to the back of your teeth. Chewing the whiskey unlocks those baking spices that grant it extra depth, gently brushing your palate and the roof of your mouth with nutmeg, freshly cracked black pepper, and faint whisps of sage before juicy orange tones initiate the transition into the finish.

Finish: This whiskey’s closing act reintroduces the smoky note that was first promised on the nose, with a touch of leather, fresh figs, dilute honey, and youthful oak in tow to balance things out. It’s a reasonably succinct finish that beckons repeat sips due to its crispness and distinct flavors.

Bottom Line:

Bear Fight Whiskey’s American Single Malt, adorned with an apropos tattered label, is far less rugged than its name would suggest. Instead, this whiskey’s delicate infusion of well-developed, sherry-tinged flavors makes for a mellow sipping experience that eschews the bite for a wonderfully approachable whiskey that should help the brand expand the American Single Malt category’s popularity.

The subtlety of the peated smoke in this one, in particular, is worthy of applause.

Taste Two: Bear Fight Whiskey Kentucky Reserve Bourbon Finished In Reposado Tequila Barrels

ABV: 45%
Average Price: $38

The Whiskey:

Bear Fight Whiskey’s Kentucky Reserve Bourbon is a sourced whiskey without an age statement made from a mash bill that’s 70% corn, 21% rye, and 9% malted barley. While the whiskey may come from multiple sources, eagle-eyed observers will note that this is a popular mash bill produced by the prominent contract distilling outfit Green River Distillery.

There’s also no word on where the Reposado barrels come from or how long the liquid spends in those secondary maturation casks, so let’s just drink up!

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There are big billowing notes of corn husk, orange pith, and vanilla extract that immediately emerge on the nose. Then, interestingly, I started picking up whisps of agave syrup, rosewater, and salted caramel. Further notes of honey, sage smudge, and green grapes round things out.

Palate: Once in the mouth, the slick sweetness of the bourbon makes an initial impression. Butterscotch and honey notes meld well with green grapes and a slight salinity before the Reposado influence crops up at midpalate, offering touches of agave syrup, then a hint of sandalwood with a nearly indiscernible whisp of smoke marking the transition to the finish.

Finish: The finish is succinct, but satisfying. Notes of green grapes and red apples fuse with nutmeg, subtle black pepper, and a faint finale of honey.

Bottom Line:

Unlike Bear Fight Whiskey’s bold and balanced American Single Malt Whiskey, this Kentucky Reserve expression has a bit less bite. The flavors are restrained, and while the influence of tequila is a welcome and surprisingly effective complement to the base bourbon, it doesn’t have enough teeth to be our favorite.

Final Thoughts

We have to side with Bear Fight Whiskey’s creative partner here, our favorite is definitely the American Single Malt Whiskey. While the brand has two well-made whiskeys on its hand, the American Single Malt is markedly more bold and balanced, reflecting both the aggressive and cuddly sides of the animal its name evokes.

When we asked Gabriel to recount some personal “bear fights” that led to his success, he cited challenges with overcoming passivity, infusing his life with self-reflection and self-care, which have allowed him to complete the things that he starts (e.g., Harvey Specter’s journey on Suits L.A.). While doctor’s orders might not suggest a whiskey a day, seizing on quiet moments to sip your favorite American Single Malt or bourbon to engage in self-reflection might help.

Baring his teeth (in a cuddly way, not a ferocious one), Gabriel smiled at the thought before concluding, “I think you’ve got the message.”

Watch Gabriel Macht in Suits L.A. this spring on NBC and Peacock.

Asbury Park, New Jersey has been home to the Sea.Hear.Now Festival for the past few years now, and it’s become a great event for the area every September. 2025 is looking great, too: This year’s lineup was just announced, and the fest is set for September 13 and 14.

The headliner for the first day is Hozier, while Blink-182 leads the second day. Beyond that, the lineup includes LCD Soundsystem, Alabama Shakes, Lenny Kravitz, Sublime, ZZ Top, Remi Wolf, Royel Otis, De La Soul, UB40, Public Enemy, TV On The Radio, Spoon, Phantogram, 4 Non Blondes, Mannequin Pussy, Inhaler, Gigi Perez, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Hot Mulligan, Grace Bowers & The Hodge Podge, Landon McNamara, Neal Francis, Mondo Cozmo, Bumpin Uglies, Not Yer Baby, Surfing For Daisy, and The Tide Bends.

A bunch of surfers are also set to be on hand and do their thing, with the lineup featuring Landon McNamara, Cam Richards, Balaram Stack, Sam Hammer, Rob Kelly, Cassidy McClain, Pat Schmidt, Mike Gleason, and more.

For tickets, the pre-sale starts March 21 at 10 a.m. ET. If any tickets are left after that, a public on-sale will follow. A passcode is needed to access the pre-sale, and more information can be found on the festival website.

A former Eminem employee is in big trouble right now: Variety reports that federal prosecutors have charged Joseph Strange with copyright infringement and interstate transportation of stolen goods, after he allegedly stole and sold some of Eminem’s unreleased music. The purchasers of the unreleased songs put more than 25 of them online back in January.

Strange is facing some serious potential consequences: He could get a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 if convicted of copyright infringement. Also, if he’s found guilty of interstate transportation of stolen goods, he could face up to ten years in prison.

Per the criminal complaint, Strange was a sound engineer for Eminem from 2007 to 2021. After the songs leaked, the FBI identified multiple people who had purchased the unreleased music, and they led the FBI to Strange. The FBI searched Strange’s residence on January 28, where they found and seized hard drives containing unreleased music.

In a statement shared with Variety, longtime Eminem spokesperson Dennis Dennehy said:

“Eminem and his team are very appreciative of the efforts by the FBI Detroit bureau for its thorough investigation which led to the charges against Joe Strange. The significant damage caused by a trusted employee to Eminem’s artistic legacy and creative integrity cannot be overstated, let alone the enormous financial losses incurred by the many creators and collaborators that deserve protection for their decades of work. We will continue to take any and all steps necessary to protect Eminem’s art and will stop at nothing to do so.”

AfroFuture, the celebration of Black innovation, culture, and community that originated in Ghana, is coming to the United States for the first time this year.

Formerly known as AfroChella, the music festival will be held at Bedrock’s Douglass Site in Detroit, Michigan, from August 16 to 17. The lineup includes Davido (who is releasing a new album next month), “coolest mfer in earth rn” Kaytranada, and rapper Tee Grizzley, as well as Ludmilla, Gims, Flavour, and Lojay. More acts will be announced at a later date.

“With an explosive lineup across two dynamic stages, we’re blending Afrobeats, Amapiano, hip-hop, and techno with art, fashion, beauty, and food. From a Black designer marketplace to interactive cultural experiences, every moment celebrates heritage while embracing innovation,” AfroFuture CEO and co-founder Abdul Karim Abdullah said in a statement.

AfroFuture’s mission is to “connect the Global Diaspora and build a new AfroFuture. The AfroFuture platform offers a suite of cultural experiences tailored for the modern global audience, encompassing fashion, art, music, and culture. We bring the world to Africa and take Africa to the world.”

Tickets for AfroFuture Detroit are on-sale now. You can find more information here, and check out the poster below.

AfroFuture Detroit 2025 Lineup Poster

In the early 1960s — when he was still a young man, but past the point of being a consistent hitmaker — Little Richard recorded a song whose title summed up the arc of his career and, it seems, the trajectories of pretty much anyone who manages to achieve success. It was called “He Got What He Wanted (But He Lost What He Had).” The idea is that the lucky few who realize their dreams almost never get there the way they envisioned. And that “success,” as it were, is usually a complicated proposition infused with unexpected loss.

Michelle Zauner, the 35-year-old author and musician, is the latest person to experience this Faustian bargain. Notice that I put the word “author” ahead of “musician” — while Zauner originally rose to prominence as the singer-songwriter behind the indie-rock band Japanese Breakfast, her profile increased dramatically upon the release of Crying In H Mart, the 2021 memoir that spent more than a year on the New York Times bestseller list. The book made Zauner the type of writer whose work populates airport waiting areas and Middle American book clubs. And it dwarfed the relatively modest audience for Zauner’s music, even as Jubilee — the album she put out within two months of H Mart four years ago — wowed critics and established Japanese Breakfast as a fixture at music festivals.

I interviewed Zauner for the Jubilee album cycle and found her to be both refreshingly humble and delusionally ambitious, particularly when she expressed interest — in addition to everything else on her plate — in directing the film adaptation of Crying In H Mart (a project that now appears to be shelved, temporarily or not). In time, Zauner would come to see the wisdom in slowing down. In an interview promoting the new Japanese Breakfast album out this week, the awkwardly titled For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women), she spoke candidly about the burnout brought on by the tireless touring that unfolded in the wake of her literary fame.

“As soon as I was able to begin financially supporting myself by playing music and not having to work at a restaurant on the side,” she told Vulture, “I was like, ‘I’ve won the lottery — I need to just run as fast as I can and do everything and be grateful. I have to keep going at this clip.’” This eventually led to “getting crazy stage fright and health problems.” After the tour, she decamped to Korea and unplugged from western culture for a year.

Actually, before that Korea trip, she recorded For Melancholy Brunettes at Sound City, one of LA’s most iconic studios, with producer Blake Mills, a celebrated wunderkind who has worked with Alabama Shakes and Bob Dylan and whose name also appears in the liner notes of upcoming releases from Lucy Dacus and Perfume Genius. Listening to the album, I wonder if Zauner would have been well-advised to wait until after her overseas sabbatical. While the album on paper scans as a “leveling up” move — it’s her first time working in an actual studio, with the assistance of tenured studio vets like Jim Keltner and Matt Chamberlain — it plays like an exhausted reiteration of the previous record. Zauner’s frayed edges are foregrounded throughout, from the very first line of the very first song, “Here Is Someone.” Zauner sings, “Quietly dreaming of / slower days, but I don’t want to / Let you down, we’ve come so far / Can you see a life where we leave this behind?”

With all due respect, there’s nothing much “quiet” about this declaration, even if Zauner expresses it in a soft, dulcet croon. It’s about as direct a declaration of personal and artistic malaise as can be imagined. And when For Melancholy Brunettes — a musically sumptuous if emotionally inert record — does not just come out and state this feeling explicitly, it does so, over and over, implicitly. Whereas Jubilee was constructed in the style of bombastic, aughts-era indie-rock in the mold of Arcade Fire, Joanna Newsom, and Bright Eyes, the follow-up is aggressive only in its incessant, understated tastefulness. A sense of urgency is decidedly lacking. It makes me wonder if Zauner would be better off living the (seemingly) comfortable life of a bestselling author rather than trudging along as a mid-level indie rocker. Or, rather, I wonder if Zauner herself is wondering this.

Perhaps anticipating that kind of reaction, Zauner was careful in that Vulture interview to position For Melancholy Brunettes as “a slower burn.” And, to be fair, there’s some validity to that. Upon repeat listens, the considerable craft on display does seep in. Zauner has said that she’s re-embraced the guitar, and you can hear her delicate, finger-picked lines fluttering amid the baroque-pop trappings of songs like “Leda” and “Little Girl.” If Funeral and I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning were on Zauner’s mood board for Jubilee, the new record sounds enraptured with the musical lore of Los Angeles, particularly the highly orchestrated records that Fiona Apple and Aimee Mann made with Jon Brion, which is evoked by two of the stronger numbers, “Mega Circuit” and “Winter In L.A.” And then there’s the most SoCal move of all — recording a duet, “Men In Bars,” with quite possibly the laziest man in Los Angeles County, Jeff “The Dude” Bridges, a likeably odd choice that unexpectedly pays off.

Nevertheless, a discernible sleepiness persists. After listening to For Melancholy Brunettes on repeat for a few days, I went back to Soft Sounds From Another Planet, the second Japanese Breakfast album from 2017. And I was immediately pulled into the opening track, a surging six-and-a-half-minute rocker called “Driving Woman.” What struck me was how, like so many great indie-rock songs, it sounded like Zauner was reaching for something grand and immense that otherwise seemed impossible to realize for a DIY musician on the basement-show circuit. The thrill of the track was hearing someone strive for those heights anyway.

For Melancholy Brunettes, in contrast, sounds like the work of someone who has the means to achieve grandiosity, but not the ideas or the energy to make those aspirational reaches compelling. I wish Zauner would have produced more songs like “Honey Water,” which harkens back to the scrappiness of the earlier records, but with a more lavish budget. Otherwise, this album sounds like what it may very well be — a side project for a celebrity author currently at work on her second, highly anticipated book.

Tomorrow (March 21), Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco are set to release the collaborative album I Said I Love You First, which will be Gomez’s first LP since 2020’s Rare. Ahead of that, the pair shared a behind-the-scenes teaser for their upcoming “Younger And Hotter Than Me” video.

Based on what Gomez and Blanco say in the video, it appears the song and the visual will reflect on Gomez’s younger days. Furthermore, the video features multiple shots of a set featuring furniture covered in white sheets. People online were quick to notice that the layout of the room looks just like the living room from Wizards Of Waverly Place, the show that initially put Gomez in the pop culture spotlight.

Blanco recently described the writing and recording process for the album, saying, “She’d wake up, I’d have a pen out, and I’d write what was on her mind. Then we’d go into the other room and create it, and it became a song. It was such a cathartic and therapeutic experience. All the songwriting, it’s all our friends. There’s no, like, ‘Man, we’re gonna get in with this person for the first time — I wonder how this is gonna go.’ We also kept this one really close to the chest, because I feel like it was so important for it to be written exactly how we wanted it and to feel exactly how we wanted it to feel.”

Check out the teaser above.

I Said I Love You First is out 3/21 via SMG Music/Friends Keep Secrets/Interscope Records. Find more information here.

Dolly Parton has been known to crack a bawdy joke or two, but she has her limits.

During an interview with Knox News, the country music legend discussed singing “Please Please Please” with Sabrina Carpenter, including her conditions for appearing on the remix.

“Of course, she can talk a little bad now and then,” she said. “I told her, I said, now, I don’t cuss. I don’t make fun of Jesus. I don’t talk bad about God, and I don’t say dirty words, on camera, but known to if I get mad enough.”

In the original version of “Please Please Please,” Carpenter sings, “Heartbreak is one thing, my ego’s another / I beg you, don’t embarrass me, motherf*cker.” That line is changed to “heartbreak is one thing, my ego’s another / I beg you, don’t embarrass me like the others” in the clean(er) version with Parton.

Parton also shared her excitement for working with artists like Carpenter, Beyoncé, and, most impressively, The Wiggles.

“I think that’s been the greatest joy is just thinking, ‘Yay, Beyoncé wants to sing with me! She wants to sing my song!’ Yeah, absolutely. Which train do I get on that’s going to get me there the quickest?” she said.

You can listen to Sabrina and Dolly sing “Please Please Please” above.

Last month, A24 announced that their 2012 movie Spring Breakers — starring Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Benson, and Rachel Korine — would be getting a special, one-night-only IMAX screening. That was set for yesterday (March 19), and Selena Gomez, alongside fiancé and musical collaborator Benny Blanco, surprised the audience at a New York screening (as Variety notes).

At the screening, Blanco said he and Gomez wanted to do something special for attendees, so they shared with them a new song from their upcoming album I Said I Love You First, called “Bluest Flame” (here’s a short clip).

Gomez also told the audience (here’s a video), “Thank you so much. This movie means the world to me, and just that you guys are here, it’s so special. I’m so grateful for you guys and hope you enjoy everything that we put together. So, thank you guys.”

Gomez recently said of the movie, “It was wonderful. It was so long ago now, but I think that was one of the moments in my life that I felt like, ‘Oh, this is what art can feel like.’ Not just the typical way I had been doing it my whole career. That’s when I got the bug. So to be honest, I’m just happy to be a part of such an audacious, special, and important movie.”

Severance is one of the most expensive TV shows ever, but that’s alright. Millions of people, including Sabrina Carpenter and SZA, are tuning in, which adds up to plenty of new subscribers for Apple TV+. This week, many of those viewers also began to wonder how long the second season finale was due to whispers of competing lengths, as reported on X/Twitter.

Fortunately, Ben Stiller was happy to set rumors to rest and reassure viewers that there will be time to address every lingering mystery (except the ones that he and showrunner Dan Erickson have saved for a third season, that is).

How Long Is The Severance Season 2 Finale?

As noted above, inquiries were going wild, including from one social media user who wondered, “I keep seeing this on here but AppleTV says it’s 45 minutes and there’s so much left to happen I NEED it to be 76 minutes.” In response, Stiller duly confirmed, “It is 76 minutes”

On Apple TV+’s interface, the correct runtime is currently listed:

If you were wondering what will come next, Stiller has assured IndieWire that there will not be another three year wait (if a third season happens), and much of the second season delay was due to The Hollywood strikes. Then “[i]t took us a little bit to regroup, and the show, we shot for 186 days on Season 2,” he revealed. “Editing takes a while, but thank goodness the audience was there when we came back.” And the rest is Innie and Outie history.

There’s no place like The Bay. Even the local sports teams know this; it’s why you’ve seen NBA teams like the Golden State Warriors team up with local labels and artists like EMPIRE and P-Lo, who recently recorded an anthem for All-Star Weekend with hometown heroes E-40 and Too Short.

Vallejo viceroy LaRussell sees the action, and he wants in. Today, he shared his latest in a long, never-ending stream of singles, called “Nothin Like It.” On Twitter, he called the upbeat jam the “new season anthem for the SF Giants” and in its video, he performs just outside Oracle Park in an orange-and-black Giants windbreaker jacket, showing his team spirit.

The song celebrates the local MLB franchise, with lyrics like, “We get it done, strikes and home runs / You feel the ground shakin? The Giants finna come.” The chorus proclaims there’s nothing like catching a game at Oracle Park, while the bridge puts a hyphy spin on the ol’ Seventh Inning Stretch classic, “Take Me Out To The Ball Game.”

So far, there’s nothing from the Giants that suggests “Nothin Like It” is part of the franchise’s official marketing, but knowing LaRussell, his unstoppable hustle could very well ensure it’s getting played at the Park sometime very soon.

You can watch LaRussell’s video for “Nothin Like It” above.