Nathan “Nearest” Green was born and raised in Lynchburg, Tennessee and known to those closest to him as Uncle Nearest. He was the very first African-American master distiller on record in the United States. And if his hometown sounds familiar to you, it should. Uncle Nearest taught a young Jack Daniel how to make Tennessee Whiskey. Yes, the Jack Daniels. And now he is being honored by Uncle Nearest Whiskey and their 1856 release. Using only locally sourced grains, 1856 is distilled, aged, bottled, and hand-labeled right in Tennessee. Just like it was in 1856, when Uncle Nearest was producing his own whiskey.
All Uncle Nearest whiskey is created using the Lincoln County Process, which Nathan Green helped perfect. The Lincoln County Process, named for the county where Green lived, is a special charcoal filtering method required to be considered Tennessee Whiskey. The current 1856 whiskey replicates this process and the resulting product has golden hues, light caramel notes, and a long rich, finish. This method has paid off handsomely for the company, as they recently took home the gold medal at the New York World Wine & Spirts Competition. So for a taste of history you can take a visit to where Lynchburg where Tennessee whiskey was born, or save yourself the trip and just pour a glass of Uncle Nearest and experience the flavor and history all in one sip.
