ROOTED IN African American History, Uncle Nearest Distillery is more than a place for tourists to try new drinks; it is a historical monument and reminder of an incredible moment when a skilled man left a lasting legacy for generations to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nathan \u201cNearest\u201d Green was born into slavery around 1820 in Maryland. After moving to Lynchburg, Tennessee, he became a recognized distiller of fine whiskey, on the Dan Call farm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A young neighbor boy, Jasper \u201cJack\u201d Daniel, who worked for Call, showed such an intense interest in Green\u2019s whis- key-making process that he became a student and friend of the distiller. When Jack Daniel initially opened his distillery, he made Green, now a free man, his first master distiller. Nearest would later become the first known Afri- can American master distiller.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Moved by Uncle Nearest\u2019s story, author, historian, and entrepreneur Fawn Weaver founded Shelbyville\u2019s renowned Nearest Green Distillery in 2019. The distillery is located on a historic 323-acre Tennessee Walking Horse farm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Guests can book a tour where they can expect a heart-warming countryside expe- rience and sample Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey. The distillery has become the most prominent African American-owned spirit brand in American history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Uncle Nearest Distillery tour guide Sylvia Pinson said, \u201cTourism has always been my middle name, considering my professional career in recreation and parks for 40-something years.\u201d Pinson also serves on the Shelbyville Tourism and Advisory Board. She said she loves what she does and prides herself on being a community connector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nearest Green Distillery tours are avail- able Thursday through Sunday. Each tour lasts approximately one and a half hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The tour begins in the welcome center, proceeding to the concession stand where guests learn about Tennessee-originated tasty treats such as cotton candy, Moon Pies, Little Debbie snack cakes, Goo Goo Clusters, and Mountain Dew.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The tour continues to the speakeasy for a brief history of Tennessee\u2019s role in wom- en\u2019s rights, concluding with a poignant vid- eo of the story of Nearest Green.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Other points of interest consist of tasting enriching whiskey flavors at the horse- shoe-shaped bar, known as the Family Tasting Room. At the closure of the tour, guests are encouraged to shop in the retail area and view the historical walls located in the welcome center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Visitors will not want to miss Tennes- see\u2019s finest barbecue at the Barrel House BBQ II restaurant. The menu features chicken, pork, ribs, and the famous \u201cgrilled cheese on crack\u201d sandwich, with all the fix- ings. Open seating and stalls are available for dining in the restaurant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Come, eat, shop, and tour Nearest Green Distillery!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Welcome to Shelbyville whiskey, hors- es, and history; the tour guide team is wait- ing to greet you! -GN<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" ROOTED IN African American History, Uncle Nearest Distillery is more than a place for tourists to try new drinks; it is a historical monument and reminder of an incredible moment when a skilled man left a lasting legacy for generations to come. Nathan \u201cNearest\u201d Green was born into slavery around 1820 in Maryland. After moving […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":14103,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14097","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories"],"yoast_head":"\n