Uncle Nearest announces opening date for phase one of distillery

American whiskey brand Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey is set to open the first phase of its Nearest Green Distillery in Shelbyville, Tennessee on 14 September.

The Nearest Green Distillery is claimed to be the first in the US to commemorate an African-American whiskey maker. Sand Creek Farms, a Tennessee Walking Horse farm and event centre, has been transformed into a full-blown destination for whiskey lovers.

Uncle Nearest co-founder and CEO Fawn Weaver said: “When I went to write the invitations for the distillery opening, tears began to stream down my face.

“I’m not a person who cries often but something about this history just chokes me up. When I wrote the opening line, ‘If Nearest Green could have owned his own distillery, would he have?’ I could only think of this incredible master distiller that likely never had the chance.

“Posthumously, we are working to ensure his name is cemented in the hearts and minds of people around the world for generations to come. The Nearest Green Distillery is his legacy and that of his descendants. Being able to bring that to life, quite frankly, still blows my mind.”

Phase one of the Nearest Green Distillery will feature a Tennessee Walking Horse experience. The Welcome House will be complete with a horseshoe bar, where visitors will learn about and sample Uncle Nearest’s whiskeys including Uncle Nearest 1856 Premium Whiskey, Uncle Nearest 1884 Premium Small Batch Whiskey, Uncle Nearest 1820 Premium Single Barrel Whiskey and Nathan Green 1870 Premium Single Barrel Whiskey.

It will also feature a retail store, where visitors can purchase custom apparel and rare bottles of Uncle Nearest, as well as the Bottling House, where visitors can participate in the labelling activities of the whiskey sold in the retail store.

Additionally, the new facility will offer a Copper Skies Experience and a Hard Hat Tour.

The distillery is spread across a 270-acre property and will feature buildings and experiences that will be due for construction over the next few years.

Upon completion of all construction phases, Nearest Green Distillery will be a new location for Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, where it will be distilled, aged and bottled.