By Tomeka Allgood
In July 2017, the Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey brand officially launched. From that moment until now, it has experienced astronomical growth for an independent whiskey brand. Even with 2020 being an anomaly in the global economy, the company still out paced their projections. By all accounts and projections, there is no stopping this brand at this point. Uncle Nearest is the largest selling African American owned spirit brand in history. The distillery closed in March 2020 during the global pandemic. Upon the announcement that they would reopen on June 19, 2021, it was not lost on many the significance of that date. Exactly 156 years after the last enslaved people were freed, a group of people gathered to celebrate the reopening of the Nearest Green Distillery. A distillery named after a former enslaved man who is the first black master distiller of record in the United States.
Located in Shelbyville, Tennessee the distillery is housed on a 270-acre farm. Monday through Friday it continues to operate as a fully functioning farm which is why the weekends are the only opportunity that visitors will have to take guided tours and/or tastings. Upon arrival visitors will become instantly relax in the country setting. There are multiple buildings all spaced out with barns, horses and fresh air all around. As you enter the huge, green front doors of the welcome center, there is no doubt that this experience will be unique. Artifacts, oil paintings and artwork are just a small hint that this brand is more than a whiskey.
When it is time for the tour to begin the tour guide will let you know. Yes, that is right, this is not a self-guided tour. It is a guided tour with very knowledgeable guide who can answer a wide range of questions from participants in real time. The tour starts in a saloon replica that immediately takes guests on a trip back in time. There is a brief historical overview by the guide followed by a short film that features actor Jeffrey Wright.
In the film, Wright takes viewers through the history of Nathan ‘Nearest’ Green and the whiskey making process. Nearest was born in 1820. He was an enslaved man who was known throughout Lynchburg, Tennessee and surrounding areas for his whiskey making ability. He worked on the farm of a preacher by the name of Dan Call, who sold whiskey on the side. In the 1850s, a young boy came to work for Dan Call. The preacher told Nearest to show the boy everything he knew about distilling whiskey. That boy’s legal name was Jasper and he later purchased Dan Call’s farm. As an adult he became known as Uncle Jack by his family and Jack Daniel by the rest of the world.
Nearest continued working for Jack Daniel as a free person, after the Civil War ended. He became the first master distiller behind the famous Jack Daniel’s brand until 1884. Green is the founding father of Tennessee Whiskey. The process created with West African influence became known as the Lincoln County process. For a whiskey to be called Tennessee Whiskey, it must follow the Lincoln County process.
After the history and short film, the tour guide moves the group over to the bottling house. This is the first opportunity the group is given to walk across the vast grounds and see the architectural details and theme of the distillery. The bottling house is a barn where a team labels each whiskey bottle by hand. Each member of the tour is given a brief tutorial on how to label a bottle. Then they can see if they are good enough at labeling to pass an inspection. This is harder than it looks.
The tasting follows the bottling house labeling and is held in the family tasting room. The group is seated at a bar in the shape of a horseshoe. Each are given three plastic shot glasses to participate in the tasting. The 1884, 1856 and Master Blend are the three premium shots that are being tasted. As each is presented, the guide provides a little background on how each earned its name along with other good to know information. The Uncle Nearest 1884 is named because it is estimated to be the year that Nearest made his last batch of whiskey. It is aged 7 years and is 93 proof. 1856 is the year believed that Nearest perfected the Lincoln County Process. Aged 8-14 years, it is not only for drinking it is also great for baking at 100 proof. It has been used to make pecan pie, homemade ice cream and even cinnamon rolls. Finally, the Master Blend Edition is used mainly to celebrate. This 110.1 proof whiskey is a blend of both the 1856 and 1884. It has only been in production since early 2021. It earned Victoria Eady Butler the title Master Blender and can only be purchased on-site at the distillery. The 1820 single barrel is a fan favorite and is only available at certain times of the year. It must be purchased on site, just like the Master Blend. This premium whiskey is aged 11 years. If you are interested in purchasing the 1820, please stay tune to social media for the announcement. If past offerings are any indicator, it will sell out fast.
Once the tasting is completed, the group is allowed to keep their empty shot glass but are not allowed to carry any whiskey out. If you do not finish, it will have to be thrown away. The Single Barrel Rickhouse, where all the current barrels are being aged, is the last stop. The guide walks the group through the barrel house where barrels seem to go on forever. The aroma of aging whiskey mixed with charred white oak is simply intoxicating.
The tour concludes back at the welcome center and that is where guests can purchase whiskey, merchandise or just browse the beautiful artwork along the walls. History and art come alive on the wall with tidbits of information about whiskey making. In addition to the art on the inside, there’s an angel wings mural outside that invites visitors to take their picture with it and post on social media. It was designed by Kelsey Montague and includes musical notes, a guitar and a walking horse. Taking a tour of the Nearest Green Distillery is something that even non-drinkers can enjoy. Of course, if you do enjoy a premium whiskey then that make this a must visit destination.
It is recommended to book your tour in advance as they are limited to a specific number of people. The tours also sell out quickly so the sooner you book, the better.
If you go:
- Address: 3125 Highway 231 N., Shelbyville, TN. 37160
- Hours of Operation: Saturday 9am-6pm/Sunday 11am-6pm
- Tour Hours: Saturday 9:30am-4pm/Sunday 11:30am-4pm
- Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey
- Distillery – Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey
There is no longer a mask mandate in the state of Tennessee. However, if you are not vaccinated, the distillery does request for visitors to wear a mask whenever indoors.
All photos by Tomeka Allgood
