Nathan Nearest Green emerged from the brutal conditions of slavery to revolutionize the spirits industry and leave a lasting impact on American culture. Green, an African American distiller, spent his early years as a slave, working at a farmhouse distillery owned by Dan Call in Lynchburg, Tennessee. It was there that he taught a young and ambitious Scots-Irish boy named Jack Daniel the art of whiskey-making in the heart of rural America. In 1866, Daniel opened his own distillery and hired Green, who had been emancipated just a year earlier, as his first master distiller. Green’s descendants continue to contribute to the production of Jack Daniel’s whiskey to this day, over 150 years later.
According to Jack Daniel’s historian Nelson Eddy, there was a special bond between Jack and Nearest, as well as Nearest’s family. This bond is exemplified by the fact that Green’s family members have worked at the distillery since its establishment. Although there are no known photographs of Nearest Green, his son George can be seen in a photo of Jack Daniel and his team, seated to Daniel’s right. This intergenerational connection highlights the significant role that Green and his family played in the history of Jack Daniel’s Distillery.
Jack Daniel’s Tennessee whiskey, renowned for its sour mash process, is not only the best-selling whiskey in the United States but also a globally recognized symbol of American spirits. Its unmistakably American character has become so integral to its identity that one could argue it deserves its own marching band, fight song, and football team.
While Jack Daniel’s is undeniably a product of American craftsmanship, its origins trace back to techniques that were known in western Africa. These techniques were practiced by tribes that faced colonization and slavery at the hands of Europeans. This international influence is characteristic of many facets of American culture, including its beloved whiskey.
While knowledge of Green’s contributions to the whiskey industry has long been acknowledged by spirits historians and the Jack Daniel’s Distillery, his story is now gaining wider recognition thanks to the Nearest Green Distillery in Shelbyville, Tennessee. This distillery, founded in 2017, has received critical acclaim for its products and its commitment to honoring whiskey history. Fawn Weaver, the founder of Nearest Green Distillery, describes Green as the godfather of Tennessee whiskey.
Nathan Nearest Green, also known as Uncle Nearest, was born around 1820. Although little is known about his early life, a clearer picture emerges in his later years after he gained his freedom following the Civil War. He was widely respected in Lynchburg, Tennessee, where he lived, and was regarded as a mentor and the best whiskey maker in the area.
Green enjoyed a fulfilling life with his family, as the 1880 census reveals. He was married to Harriet and had nine children. Several of his children went on to work at Jack Daniel’s Distillery in its early days. Green’s role as the operator of the farmhouse distillery on Dan Call’s farm was a natural fit for the labor practices of that time, despite the arduous and dangerous nature of the job.
It was in this context that Green formed a bond with Jack Daniel, a young boy who was no stranger to hard work and adversity. Daniel, orphaned at a young age, worked as a chore boy on Call’s farm before gravitating towards the distillery, where he began learning from Green. Their partnership laid the foundation for the success of Jack Daniel’s Distillery, as Green shared his expertise on the production of Tennessee whiskey.
Tennessee whiskey, with its distinctive charcoal filtering process, stands apart from other American whiskeys. This process, in which the distilled liquor is filtered through sugar-maple charcoal before aging, has been attributed by some to the use of charcoal in West African water purification and food preparation techniques. While there is debate regarding the African origins of this process, there is no denying the intricate craftsmanship and scientific knowledge required to produce Tennessee whiskey during that era.
According to both Charles K. Cowdery, the author of “Bourbon, Straight: The Uncut and Unfiltered Story of American Whiskey,” and Nelson Eddy, the Jack Daniel’s company historian, Jack Daniel learned everything he knew about whiskey-making from Nearest Green. Their relationship went beyond that of mere co-workers, with Green serving as a mentor to Daniel.
The story of Nathan Nearest Green and Jack Daniel is a testament to the power of collaboration between individuals from different backgrounds. It is a story of resilience, hard work, and the pursuit of excellence. Green’s contributions to American spirits continue to be celebrated and recognized, thanks to the efforts of the Nearest Green Distillery and its dedication to preserving whiskey history.
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