Featured image: Jack Daniel with George Green, Nearest Green’s son. Image: Nearest Green Distillery
Last Updated: February 4, 2026
Nestled in the bucolic small town of Shelbyville, Tennessee, the Nearest Green Distillery stands as a beautiful beacon of perseverance and pride. The grounds, the record-breaking restaurant, the inspiring team, and the stellar whiskey all work together to reclaim a history buried for far too long.
Let’s take a deep dive into the intertwined histories of two iconic names in Tennessee whiskey.
The Forgotten Master Distiller
The remarkable story of Nearest Green begins on the farm where Jack Daniel, an orphan, was raised. The farm was owned by preacher Dan Call, where he kept enslaved individuals including one Nathan “Nearest” Green. Born in Maryland around 1820, Nearest worked on the Call farm (located in Lincoln County, Tennessee), where he perfected his whiskey-making craft.
It’s said Nearest specialized in sugar maps charcoal filtering — a process thought to have West African roots that purifies food and water using charcoal.
Enter: Jack
Meanwhile, a young orphaned boy named Jasper Newton Daniel—later called Jack—arrived on the farm and soon became transfixed on the billowing smokestacks rising from the hollow where Nearest worked. With persistence, he was eventually allowed to follow the smoke and meet Nearest. Dan Call told Nearest to teach Jack everything he knew about making whiskey through his sugar maple charcoal filtering process.
If you’re new to Tennessee whiskey, the Lincoln County Process (which uses charcoal as a filter during distillation) is the primary differentiator between bourbon and Tennessee whiskey. In fact, using the Lincoln County Process is a requirement for a product to be labeled as such.
The Rise of Jack Daniel’s
Jack learned all he could over the years, and eventually started selling whiskey himself in Lynchburg’s neighboring towns. He had a natural knack for sales, and at only 15 years old, the plans for what would become a world-renowned empire began to take shape. Nearest became a free man after the Civil War, and struck up a business partnership with a young Jack.
Nearest was Jack Daniel’s first master distiller, a coveted title given to the person in charge of the entire production process and quality control. For the Jack Daniel’s brand, the master distiller also serves as the face of the brand during their tenure. The story of Jack and Nearest’s friendship-turned-partnership could end here with a nod to the brand’s success (it’s one of the most widely-recognized spirits brands in existence), but prepare for the twist.
A Lost Legacy, Found
For more than a century, the true story behind Jack Daniel’s was lost, and Nearest’s contribution to the world of whiskey was forgotten. It wasn’t until 2016 that Nearest’s name began being shared. The brand committed to recognizing Nearest during tours and through marketing, but businesswoman Fawn Weaver took things a step further.
Nearest Green Distillery
Just up the road from Jack Daniel’s now sits Nearest Green Distillery, a sprawling 400-plus-acre property housing massive barrel houses, stunning tasting rooms, and two onsite restaurants—one of which holds a Guinness Book of World Records accolade for the world’s longest bar (with a whopping 202 bar stools).
The distillery produces fine premium Tennessee whiskey under the label Uncle Nearest. From the small batch 1884 to the premium aged 1856, exclusive single barrel, straight rye whiskey, and a collection of specialty blends, the brand has amassed a cult following and a slew of accolades along the way:
It’s the most-awarded bourbon and American whiskey since 2019.
It’s earned more than 1,100 awards, including 715 gold medals (or higher).
It’s the fastest-growing American whiskey brand in U.S. history.
It’s the best-selling Black-owned spirit brand of all time.
Beyond the distillery, Weaver recently debuted her book Love & Whiskey: The Remarkable True Story of Jack Daniel, His Master Distiller Nearest Green, and the Improbably Rise of Uncle Nearest, available for purchase on Amazon.
To learn more about Nearest Green or the Uncle Nearest brand, visit unclenearest.com
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