You may well know what I’m going to say, but I shall tell you the story regardless. There has never been a more important time to tell it. Events in the US are showing us that we need to do so much more to raise awareness of black culture and history in every pocket of society as well as heal the gross divide we still see seen when it comes to opportunities and privileges. Let us start here by raising a glass to one man in the drinks industry that history almost forgot. Let us shout about his name, his story and now, his whiskey.
Who was Uncle Nearest?
More than one hundred and sixty years ago, in the hills above Lynchburg in Tennessee, there was a farm owned by a young preacher man called Dan Call that still stands today. Reverend Call had a side hustle down the road on his farm: a small whiskey distillery, which made a silky smooth, maple-sweet whiskey that was highly regarded by all that tasted it. The man who distilled the whiskey was a black slave named Nathan Green, known affectionately as Uncle Nearest, and he brought with him a special technique of charcoal filtering that he had learned back home when cleaning water in West Africa. This method of filtering whiskey through sugar maple tree charcoal became known as the famous ‘Lincoln method’ and it’s still used today.
A fascination for distillation
At some time in the 1850s, a young white boy came to Reverend Call asking for work. The Reverend took him on and gave him chores but the boy became increasingly fascinated by what was going on down the road at the distillery. Eventually, after begging his master, the boy, named Jasper, was introduced to Nathan ‘Uncle Nearest’ Green, who was told to teach him what he knew. A natural entrepreneur, Jasper so believed in this whiskey that he started selling it as far and wide as he could.
December 6th 1865 came around and the thirteenth amendment was finally passed. Uncle Nearest was a free man. Not long after, Jasper bought the distillery and named it after himself, though he didn’t use his given name; he preferred what the locals called him: not Jasper Daniel, but Jack Daniel. He asked Nathan to be his very first master distiller, a position which he happily accepted. The men worked together until Nathan retired.
Nathan’s story was lost for a long time. We can only imagine why. However, a new distillery was built just down the road from Jack Daniel’s, where Nathan’s descendents work today. Quite rightly, it was named after the man who turned out to be the true founding father of Tennessee Whiskey: Nathan Green. Uncle Nearest. Both distilleries still enjoy a warm bond formed by their shared histories.
There are three Uncle Nearest Whiskies to try. Seek them out and please, tell the story.
1884 Small Batch Whiskey
Whiskey aged a minimum of 7 year-old, the 1884 commemorates the final year Nearest is believed to have put his own whiskey into barrels before retiring. Now blended by his descendents. Lighter in style and proof than the 1856. A great, accessible whiskey.
See more here.
1856 Premium Aged Whiskey
Tastes like the mix for fruit cake! Raisins, sultanas, butter, vanilla and soft cinnamon spice.
Find it for £55 at at Master of Malt.
1820 Nearest Green Single Barrel Edition
Aged a minimum of 11 years, with a cask strength above 108, less than 1% of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey barrels are selected as these rare, single barrels.
See more here.
Black charities to support
Please help us go beyond just this story to helping those on the ground. We’ve compiled a list of official charities that support this vital cause. Let’s stamp out inequality. For Good.
Thurgood Marshall College Fund -Established in 1987 to support public historically black colleges and universities and students. (US)
Black Girls CODE - Teaching young, black girls how to code. (US)
100 Black Men of America -Improves educational, quality-of-life and economic opportunities within African-American communities. (US)
Black Minds Matter - To support black people struggling with their mental health during this particularly triggering time for the community. (UK)
Exist Loudly Fund - Set up by youth worker and activist Tanya Compas to support Queer Black young people in London and across the country. (UK)
Black Lives Matter UK - “To eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes”.
If you liked this, check out our articles on ‘Three best whiskies to invest in’ and the ‘World’s favourite whisky glass’.