If you’re tuned into the whiskey world, you’ve most likely heard of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey. After all, this Black-owned American whiskey brand is currently the fastest growing in the U.S. market, with a 3,000 percent increase in sales since its 2017 launch. It also earned the distinction of being the most awarded bourbon or American whiskey for four consecutive years (2019 to 2022). The whiskey is named after the enslaved man Nathan “Nearest” Green, who’s credited with teaching Jack Daniel how to distill whiskey in the mid-1800s (and is now recognized as the Jack Daniel’s master distiller). Victoria Eady Butler, one of Green’s descendants, is now the master blender for Uncle Nearest. Uncle Nearest opened its own distillery in 2019 in Shelbyville, TN, but the majority of the whiskey continues to be contract distilled and sourced from existing operations, a common practice in the industry. In addition to the core lineup of Tennessee whiskeys (1884 Small Batch and 1856 Premium Aged), the brand has launched several new releases over the past few months, expanding into a new whiskey category and broadening its appeal to a very thirsty consumer base.
20 Best Tennessee Whiskeys to Drink Right Now
Read article
Courtesy Image Last fall, Uncle Nearest launched its first ever rye, Uncut/Unfiltered Straight Rye Whiskey distilled in Canada, matured in New York State, and brought to Tennessee to be finished and bottled at almost 120 proof. The whiskey is made from a mashbill of 100 percent rye grain and, according to Uncle Nearest founder Fawn Weaver, it was distilled “following strict American requirements for straight rye whiskey.” Those requirements include important rules like the whiskey must be made from a mashbill of at least 51 percent rye, and aged in new charred oak containers, which are virtually always barrels.
The Macallan Just Auctioned a Single Bottle of Scotch for $250K
Read article
There was some understandable confusion in the whiskey blog world around the initial labeling of the rye, which you can read all about online if you want to take a deep dive. The language on the website is still a little opaque, saying the rye was found in New York but “born in the north, raised at least four years in the big city, before moving to God’s country for some well-deserved rest.” That reads a bit differently from the timeline described above, so perhaps that wording could use an update.
Courtesy Image On the heels of that high-ABV whiskey came Straight Rye Whiskey, a100-proof version of the rye, which is the same as the uncut version but proofed down to a level that’s more palatable for many drinkers. Then the single barrel version of the rye arrived, which according to a brand rep, is the same straight rye used for the other releases but bottled from one barrel instead of a batch. The language on the website here provides a little more insight, saying the whiskey was distilled in British Columbia, then aged in New York for a minimum of four years in new American oak. It’s then brought to Tennessee to be finished in used Uncle Nearest barrels, so technically this is a cask-finished whiskey although not required to be labeled as such.
Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series: First Series Made In-house
Read article
Courtesy Image Finally, we have Uncle Nearest Single Barrel Black Label, a single barrel version of the brand’s Tennessee whiskey (not a rye) that’s more widely available than the one sold exclusively at the distillery. Out of all of these new whiskey releases, this one stands out in particular.
Rare Michter’s Celebration Sour Mash Whiskey Returns
Read article
There’s a lot to parse over here, and the bottom line is that these whiskeys are good, although to be fair they might not be to everyone’s taste. If you’re looking for traditional rye whiskey flavors, you’d be better off going with something from MGP in Indiana, which is known for making rye for brands like George Dickel and Bulleit that work very well in cocktails or sipping neat. But these are all interesting and unique whiskeys that are worth trying for anyone interested in diving deeper into the Uncle Nearest portfolio. It was announced in December that Uncle Nearest had crossed $100 million in sales, making it the most successful Black-owned distillery in the world. Whiskey fans are here for this journey, and it’ll be interesting to see what this venerated brand releases next.
For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!
More News
The Rambler 10 Oz Lowball From YETI is a Must Own
Best Bars in Mexico City for Low-key Cocktail Lounges and Mezcal Shrines
Class It Up With The International Mountains Whiskey Glasses
Best Beers You Should Be Drinking Now
Meal Prep Gets A Lot Easier With This Cuisinart Handheld Chopper
All Stories
More Videos
The MJ5: Tony Hawk on His Favorite Gear, Why He Always Carries His Board, and More
Here's the Difference Between Bourbon and Whiskey
Young Guns and a Supercharged Catamaran: U.S. SailGP Team Takes on New York City
If you’re tuned into the whiskey world, you’ve most likely heard of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey. After all, this Black-owned American whiskey brand is currently the fastest growing in the U.S. market, with a 3,000 percent increase in sales since its 2017 launch. It also earned the distinction of being the most awarded bourbon or American whiskey for four consecutive years (2019 to 2022). The whiskey is named after the enslaved man Nathan “Nearest” Green, who’s credited with teaching Jack Daniel how to distill whiskey in the mid-1800s (and is now recognized as the Jack Daniel’s master distiller). Victoria Eady Butler, one of Green’s descendants, is now the master blender for Uncle Nearest.
Uncle Nearest opened its own distillery in 2019 in Shelbyville, TN, but the majority of the whiskey continues to be contract distilled and sourced from existing operations, a common practice in the industry. In addition to the core lineup of Tennessee whiskeys (1884 Small Batch and 1856 Premium Aged), the brand has launched several new releases over the past few months, expanding into a new whiskey category and broadening its appeal to a very thirsty consumer base.
20 Best Tennessee Whiskeys to Drink Right Now
Read article
Last fall, Uncle Nearest launched its first ever rye, Uncut/Unfiltered Straight Rye Whiskey distilled in Canada, matured in New York State, and brought to Tennessee to be finished and bottled at almost 120 proof. The whiskey is made from a mashbill of 100 percent rye grain and, according to Uncle Nearest founder Fawn Weaver, it was distilled “following strict American requirements for straight rye whiskey.”
20 Best Tennessee Whiskeys to Drink Right Now
Read article
20 Best Tennessee Whiskeys to Drink Right Now
Those requirements include important rules like the whiskey must be made from a mashbill of at least 51 percent rye, and aged in new charred oak containers, which are virtually always barrels.
The Macallan Just Auctioned a Single Bottle of Scotch for $250K
Read article
There was some understandable confusion in the whiskey blog world around the initial labeling of the rye, which you can read all about online if you want to take a deep dive. The language on the website is still a little opaque, saying the rye was found in New York but “born in the north, raised at least four years in the big city, before moving to God’s country for some well-deserved rest.” That reads a bit differently from the timeline described above, so perhaps that wording could use an update.
The Macallan Just Auctioned a Single Bottle of Scotch for $250K
Read article
The Macallan Just Auctioned a Single Bottle of Scotch for $250K
On the heels of that high-ABV whiskey came Straight Rye Whiskey, a100-proof version of the rye, which is the same as the uncut version but proofed down to a level that’s more palatable for many drinkers. Then the single barrel version of the rye arrived, which according to a brand rep, is the same straight rye used for the other releases but bottled from one barrel instead of a batch. The language on the website here provides a little more insight, saying the whiskey was distilled in British Columbia, then aged in New York for a minimum of four years in new American oak. It’s then brought to Tennessee to be finished in used Uncle Nearest barrels, so technically this is a cask-finished whiskey although not required to be labeled as such.
Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series: First Series Made In-house
Read article
Finally, we have Uncle Nearest Single Barrel Black Label, a single barrel version of the brand’s Tennessee whiskey (not a rye) that’s more widely available than the one sold exclusively at the distillery. Out of all of these new whiskey releases, this one stands out in particular.
Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series: First Series Made In-house
Read article
Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series: First Series Made In-house
Rare Michter’s Celebration Sour Mash Whiskey Returns
Read article
There’s a lot to parse over here, and the bottom line is that these whiskeys are good, although to be fair they might not be to everyone’s taste. If you’re looking for traditional rye whiskey flavors, you’d be better off going with something from MGP in Indiana, which is known for making rye for brands like George Dickel and Bulleit that work very well in cocktails or sipping neat.
Rare Michter’s Celebration Sour Mash Whiskey Returns
Read article
Rare Michter’s Celebration Sour Mash Whiskey Returns
But these are all interesting and unique whiskeys that are worth trying for anyone interested in diving deeper into the Uncle Nearest portfolio. It was announced in December that Uncle Nearest had crossed $100 million in sales, making it the most successful Black-owned distillery in the world. Whiskey fans are here for this journey, and it’ll be interesting to see what this venerated brand releases next.
For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!
More News
The Rambler 10 Oz Lowball From YETI is a Must Own
Best Bars in Mexico City for Low-key Cocktail Lounges and Mezcal Shrines
Class It Up With The International Mountains Whiskey Glasses
Best Beers You Should Be Drinking Now
Meal Prep Gets A Lot Easier With This Cuisinart Handheld Chopper
All Stories
More Videos
The MJ5: Tony Hawk on His Favorite Gear, Why He Always Carries His Board, and More
Here's the Difference Between Bourbon and Whiskey
Young Guns and a Supercharged Catamaran: U.S. SailGP Team Takes on New York City
More News
The Rambler 10 Oz Lowball From YETI is a Must Own
Best Bars in Mexico City for Low-key Cocktail Lounges and Mezcal Shrines
Class It Up With The International Mountains Whiskey Glasses
Best Beers You Should Be Drinking Now
Meal Prep Gets A Lot Easier With This Cuisinart Handheld Chopper
All Stories
More Videos
The MJ5: Tony Hawk on His Favorite Gear, Why He Always Carries His Board, and More
Here's the Difference Between Bourbon and Whiskey
Young Guns and a Supercharged Catamaran: U.S. SailGP Team Takes on New York City
More News
The Rambler 10 Oz Lowball From YETI is a Must Own
Best Bars in Mexico City for Low-key Cocktail Lounges and Mezcal Shrines
Class It Up With The International Mountains Whiskey Glasses
Best Beers You Should Be Drinking Now
Meal Prep Gets A Lot Easier With This Cuisinart Handheld Chopper
All Stories
More Videos
The MJ5: Tony Hawk on His Favorite Gear, Why He Always Carries His Board, and More
Here's the Difference Between Bourbon and Whiskey
Young Guns and a Supercharged Catamaran: U.S. SailGP Team Takes on New York City
More Videos
The MJ5: Tony Hawk on His Favorite Gear, Why He Always Carries His Board, and More
Here's the Difference Between Bourbon and Whiskey
Young Guns and a Supercharged Catamaran: U.S. SailGP Team Takes on New York City
More Videos
The MJ5: Tony Hawk on His Favorite Gear, Why He Always Carries His Board, and More
Here's the Difference Between Bourbon and Whiskey
Young Guns and a Supercharged Catamaran: U.S. SailGP Team Takes on New York City
