World’s First African American Master Distiller

(content and photos provided by Uncle Nearest) Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey proudly honors the world’s first-known African American master distiller, Nearest Green. And for food reason. It was the first spirits brand in the world to be named after a Black American. 

The portfolio is the Most Awarded Bourbon and American Whiskey of 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022, with over 600 awards and accolades since the brand’s 2017 launch, including 406 Gold medals or higher, 71 Best in Class honors and an average critic’s score of 92.  It launched in July 2017, making this all the more impressive.

Uncle Nearest is currently sold in all 50 states and 12 countries, and is sold in more than 25,000 stores, bars, hotels, restaurants, as well as at its 323-acre Nearest Green Distillery in Shelbyville, Tenn. For more information, please visit the Uncle Nearest website, and follow on Instagram and Facebook @unclenearest. 

Friends and family called him Uncle Nearest. “Uncle” is a term that was used in Lynchburg as an indication of respect, for both whites and blacks at the time. 

Nearest is credited with helping perfect the Lincoln County Process, the distinguishing process between Kentucky Bourbon and Tennessee Whiskey, which was named after the county where Nearest lived and made whiskey, making him the godfather of Tennessee Whiskey. 

A team of 20 historians, archivists, archeologists, genealogists and conservators – led by the brand’s co-founder and CEO – spent more than 2,500 hours of research, uncovering more than 100,000 documents and artifacts in 6 different states, to bring this story to life. 

Uncle Nearest’s premium whiskeys are currently distilled, aged and bottled under the Nearest Green Distillery name in Tennessee.  The whiskey goes through a multi-layer filtration process for added purity and smoothness. 

The Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey portfolio currently features its 1856 Premium Aged Whiskey, 1884 Premium Small Batch Whiskey, and Uncle Nearest Straight Rye Whiskey, sold in all markets, as well as its Uncle Nearest Master Blend Edition, Uncut/Unfiltered Straight Rye Whiskey, Single Barrel Black Label Whiskey and Single Barrel Rye Whiskey, which are all currently sold exclusively at Nearest Green Distillery.

The history-making, paying tribute to the three things Tennessee is most known for:  Tennessee Whiskey, Tennessee walking horses and Tennessee music.    The property was formerly Sand Creek Farms, a famous Walking Horse Farm 

The #WhatLiftsYou Angel Wings mural by famed muralist Kelsey Montague. Created especially for the Nearest Green Distillery, the wings weave elements of Tennessee Whiskey, Tennessee music and Tennessee walking horses throughout.   

The Single Barrel Warehouse, where the rarest of Uncle Nearest’s whiskey ages before being bottled. Less than 1% of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey barrels. 

To be a candidate, the whiskey must be aged a minimum of 11 years, with a cask strength above 108, and each one is hand-picked by our founders and approved by a panel of whiskey industry professionals.