Uncle Nearest 1884 Small Batch Whiskey
Uncle Nearest Whiskey is a brand that I’ve read and heard much about over the past couple of years. However, I hadn’t actually seen a bottle on the shelves of my local liquor store. There was a space for Uncle Nearest on the shelf, complete with a label, but the bottles weren’t making an appearance. One day, my luck changed when I noticed a single bottle of Uncle Nearest 1884 on the shelf and I decided to take it home with me.
If there is one thing I’ve learned about buying whiskey in Colorado, it’s that most stores don’t get the sheer volume of bottles compared to other states. A big reason why is due to Colorado’s liquor laws. Colorado does not allow the sale of hard alcohol spirits in grocery stores.
Most liquor stores are independently owned and operated. Although my local liquor store has one of the best selections in town, the owner is often limited in terms of how many bottles he receives. If there is a lesson I’ve learned, it is that I should grab bottles of interest as soon as I see them. Otherwise, I risk missing out, like I almost did with this bottle of Uncle Nearest 1884.
Nearest Green
Uncle Nearest was created to honor the whiskey-making roots of the Green family, specifically Nathan “Nearest” Green. Green was a slave who was owned by a company and rented to a local preacher, Dan Call. Call relied on Green to distill whiskey for him which became quite popular in Tennessee.
At some point, Call took in a young boy named Jack Daniel and asked Green to mentor him in the art of whiskey distillation. Daniel went on to open his own distillery, which grew to be the best-selling whiskey in the world. Today, several of Green’s descendants continue to work at Jack Daniel’s. Long story short, without Nearest Green, it is unlikely that Jack Daniel’s Whiskey would have gained prominence.
Many have also given credit to Nearest Green for inventing the Lincoln County process. After distillation, the raw alcohol, also known as white dog, is filtered through charcoal made from sugar maple trees. The charcoal-filtered whiskey is then aged in new, white oak casks. Today, in order for a whiskey to legally be called a Tennessee whiskey, it must undergo the charcoal filtering process.
Between his invention of the Lincoln County process that defines Tennessee whiskey and his mentorship of Jack Daniel, Nearest Green’s importance to the whiskey industry can’t be denied. Although the details of his life are somewhat limited, the recognition of Green as an important pioneer in the whiskey industry is an important step to better understanding and recognizing the contributions of African-Americans in our nation’s history.
Victoria Eady Butler
Victoria Eady Butler is the great-great-granddaughter of Nearest Green. Her story is fascinating because when whiskey is in your blood, you often get pulled into the business, even if it wasn’t your first ambition in life.
In 2019, Butler retired after a long career in the criminal justice field. Shortly after her retirement, she met Fawn Weaver, the founder and owner of Uncle Nearest. Weaver invited Butler to help create Uncle Nearest 1884, a small batch whiskey that would launch the Uncle Nearest Brand. Their first batch won a number of blind tasting awards and launched Butler into a career path she had not anticipated.
Today, Butler is the Master Blender for Uncle Nearest. She is the first black woman to hold the position for any whiskey company. Her dedication to learning the craft, researching the industry, and trusting her instincts and palate has led Uncle Nearest to become one of the most renowned new whiskey brands.
Uncle Nearest 1884
Uncle Nearest 1884 was the first expression released by the brand at its inception. The 1884 date refers to the last year in which Nearest Green poured his white dog into a barrel. The current 1884 bottle seeks to honor the whiskey-making tradition Nearest Green established.
Uncle Nearest 1884 is a NAS whiskey, but everything in this blend is aged at least 7 years. It clocks in at a solid 93 proof. Victoria Eady Butler sampled and hand-picked each whiskey that made it into this small bath to ensure it turns out sweet and smooth. The mash bill varies since this is a blended whiskey. However, each barrel selected had to contain at least 51% corn in the mash bill.
Tasting Notes
When we first popped this bottle, both Alie and I noticed the sweetness of the aroma. I picked out notes of banana bread and roasted corn on the nose. Alie noted that the whiskey was sweet, smooth, and easy to drink.
On my first sip, I noticed the sweetness of roasted corn I had picked up on the nose. It was followed by a touch of vanilla and brown sugar. This is one of the sweetest tasting whiskeys we have tried. The intensity of Uncle Nearest 1884 was nice, but not overpowering. It left behind a pleasant tingle on the sides of my tongue and on my lips.
Our Ratings
Drinkability: 4.5
Intensity: 3
Personal Preference: 4.5
Beginner Friendly: 3.2
Availability: 5
Overall: 4.4
Final Thoughts
Uncle Nearest 1884 is a smooth whiskey. It leans towards the sweet side of the whiskey spectrum and goes down way too easily. Although some sweet whiskeys end up being heavy or risk tasting like flavored syrup, we found Uncle Nearest to be well-balanced between the sweetness and the medium intensity that lingers in your mouth.
Uncle Nearest 1884 is complex with a wide mix of flavors. Due to the variety within the whiskey, you are going to find a flavor you enjoy. Scanning through many online reviews, it appears the only people who aren’t fans of Uncle Nearest 1884 prefer whiskeys I find to be woody tasting. If you like strong oak or musty wood flavors in your whiskey, then this might not be the bottle for you. We definitely liked this whiskey best neat, but if you insist upon putting it in a cocktail, we recommend a Lynchburg Lemonade. You can find the recipe here.
We 100% recommend you grab a bottle of Uncle Nearest 1884 if you see it in a store near you. It is a great bottle of whiskey that you should add to your collection and enjoy with your closest friends.
Happy Exploring!
