I was fortunate this Thanksgiving to attend the Christmas Tree lighting ceremony for Uncle Nearest Distillery in Shelbyville, TN. Since 2017, this African-American-owned distillery has been literally breaking new ground and overcoming barriers in the distillery world.
Founded by Fawn Weaver and with the able assistance of Victoria Eady-Butler, the great-great-granddaughter of the slave Nearest Green who taught Jack Daniels how to brew. The company with African American females in charge at every turn has established itself as a player.
The Uncle Nearest complex sits on 323 acres and has finished a $50 million buildout in this town of about 23,000 in Bedford County, Tennessee.
I am personally glad and beholden to them for being a sponsor of the 2022 African American Golf Expo and Forum held in Charlotte, NC. Several hundred people were introduced to Uncle Nearest during the EXPO.
Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, the most awarded American Whiskey or Bourbon of 2019, 2020, and 2021, will also be the official whiskey of the National Amateur Tour, according to Tarek DeLavallade, tour founder and Commissioner. Rawnica Dillingham, Director of Specialty Markets for Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey played a key role in developing this relationship
Check out “The Story of Nearest Green” from Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey on Vimeo. This is narrated by Emmy -Award winning actor, Jeffrey Wright.
You can also read more here. https://unclenearest.com/history/
In less than five years, the company has expanded into all 50 states as well as 12 countries, nearly tripling its volume between 2018 and 2019 alone. It’s one of the fastest-growing whiskeys in America.
Uncle Nearest, Inc. is owned by Grant Sidney, Inc. Grant Sidney, Inc. is wholly owned by Fawn Weaver.
Chalk that success up to Fawn Weaver and her all-female leadership team, which includes one of Green’s descendants. Victoria Eady Butler, Green’s great-great-granddaughter, is Uncle Nearest’s master blender and the first known Black woman master whiskey blender in history.
“I’m proud that the Uncle Nearest executive team is the first all-female executive team in the whiskey industry and that we’ve set a standard of excellence for others to model,” Butler says. “We are the example of what strong, dedicated, determined, committed females can do in decision-making positions.” Together, she and Weaver are carving out an ever-growing space for Black female voices in the whiskey world.
Their leadership is also manifested in other key entrepreneurial efforts.
In an announcement timed to the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre, Weaver announced the Uncle Nearest Venture Fund: a $50 million fund “created to invest in minority (BIPOC and women) founded, owned and led brands with the greatest potential to grow into long-standing legacy brands.” Uncle Nearest—which reportedly has sold nearly 1.5 million bottles since its launch, making it America’s fastest-growing whiskey brand—will contribute, but so will a diverse group of other investors.
The fund’s board of directors includes current and former executives from companies such as Sony Pictures Entertainment, Google, and Jack Daniel’s maker Brown-Forman. Keith Weaver, Executive Vice President of Global Public Policy and External Affairs for Sony Pictures Entertainment and Fawn Weaver’s husband also serves on the board of directors. Mr. Weaver is also a golfer.
Please take the time out of your schedule to stop and see this magnificent facility which will soon hold the tile of having the World’s longest bar, which is breathtaking.
