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In the heart of southern Tennessee, where whiskey heritage runs as deep as the limestone springs that feed it, entrepreneur Fawn Weaver has carved out a powerful legacy with Uncle Nearest, the fastest-growing American whiskey brand in history. In just seven years, Weaver has built a business now valued at $1.1 billion, making it the most successful Black-owned liquor brand ever—and she did it all without traditional venture capital.
Honoring a Forgotten Legacy: Nearest Green and the Birth of Uncle Nearest
Weaver founded Uncle Nearest in 2017 to honor Nathan “Nearest” Green, an enslaved man who taught a young Jack Daniel the art of charcoal filtration—a process that would define Tennessee whiskey. Green was the first known African American master distiller in the U.S., yet his story was nearly erased from whiskey history.
While researching Green’s legacy after reading a 2016 New York Times article, Weaver discovered the very farm where Green taught Jack Daniel was up for sale. She and her husband, Keith, purchased it for $900,000 and laid the foundation for a revolution in spirits—one rooted in history, ownership, and pride.
Building the Uncle Nearest Whiskey Empire in Shelbyville
The Uncle Nearest distillery in Shelbyville, Tennessee is more than just a place where whiskey is made. It’s a 458-acre destination that rivals the famed Jack Daniel’s visitor experience in nearby Lynchburg. Visitors can explore a whiskey-themed history walk, dine at a barbecue restaurant, enjoy live music, and sip whiskey at one of four tasting areas, including the world’s longest bar at 518 feet.
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Weaver has attracted over 230,000 visitors in the past year, making Uncle Nearest the seventh most-visited distillery in the world, quickly catching up to Jack Daniel’s 300,000 annual guests. Direct-to-consumer sales from the distillery are highly profitable—with some $150 bottles earning more margin than entire cases sold through distributors.
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| Magical History Tour: A 1904 photograph of Jack Daniel (with mustache and wearing white hat) seated next to a man believed to be George Green, a son of Nearest Green—who was Daniel’s first master distiller—inspired Weaver to create a whiskey brand in his honor. |
A Business Model Centered on Ownership and Legacy
Weaver has eschewed private equity and venture capital, instead raising funds from 163 individual investors with average contributions of $500,000. No single investor owns more than 2.3% of the company, and Weaver, who owns 40% equity and 80% of the voting rights, maintains full control with her husband.
Her decentralized ownership model includes descendants of Nearest Green, some of whom now work at the distillery. Uncle Nearest also carries $106 million in bank debt, but this has not slowed down expansion. Weaver recently acquired a 379,000-square-foot cotton mill in Shelbyville for $2.3 million—without it ever hitting the market.
Scaling Smart and Staying Independent
Since its launch, Uncle Nearest has tripled sales since 2021, with an expected $100 million in revenue this year and 20% net margins, according to IWSR. The brand has earned over 1,000 awards across its portfolio of bourbons and ryes, all produced under the direction of Victoria Eady Butler, Nearest Green’s great-great-granddaughter.
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Despite interest from investment bankers and comparisons to billion-dollar spirits acquisitions like Casamigos and Aviation Gin, Weaver insists she’s not selling.
“They’ve thrown every number at me and gotten the same response—no,” she says. “I am never going to profit from Uncle Nearest. I’ve known it from day one. I’m raising up their family.”
Global Expansion: From Tennessee to France
Weaver is extending the Uncle Nearest brand globally with a bold entry into Cognac. In October 2024, she purchased the Domaine Saint Martin estate in France, a historic 100-acre property that includes a distillery, cellars, and cooperage. It’s a game-changing move, especially since Black Americans account for 75% of Cognac purchases in the U.S., yet no major Cognac brand has ever been Black-owned.
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| Barrels of Success: Weaver has refined the playbook for how to build a spirits startup. She calls the strategy her "Green-book"—in honor of Nearest Green |
The acquisition marks the start of a broader plan to acquire and elevate spirits brands owned by Black entrepreneurs and women. Weaver has already invested in four such brands, including Equiano Rum and Sorel, a Brooklyn-based liqueur.
The Future of Uncle Nearest: Farming, Hotels, and $50 Billion Goals
Weaver isn’t just building a whiskey brand—she’s building an empire. She plans to:
- Farm 100 acres of corn for future small-batch whiskey
- Open a new still house with capacity for 18,000 barrels annually
- Launch a hotel in Shelbyville
- Host major events, like the return of the local hot air balloon festival
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She also aims to buy out every investor and eventually bequeath the business to Nearest Green’s descendants, funding scholarships and mentorships to ensure they are prepared to lead the next chapter.
A Mission Bigger Than Profit
From homelessness and attempted suicide as a teen to becoming a multimillionaire business icon, Fawn Weaver’s journey is one of resilience, vision, and empowerment. At 47, she’s laser-focused on building a lasting legacy—not just for her brand, but for an entire community historically excluded from ownership in the spirits industry.
“I’m going to build it large as hell,” she says. “When I pass it on, I don’t want it to be a $10 billion company. I want it to be a $50 billion company.”
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