Uncle Nearest Debuts Three New Whiskeys

Uncle Nearest, following up on its recent first ever rye whiskey release, recently debuted three more whiskey expressions, the latter of which are now permanent offerings.

The new Uncle Nearest whiskeys, according to those behind them, include Uncle Nearest Straight Rye Whiskey, Uncle Nearest Single Barrel Black Label and Uncle Nearest Single Barrel Rye. The Straight Rye is out first, and will be followed in short order by by Black Label and Single Barrel.

For the Straight Rye, it is a 100 proof bottling that was “hand-selected by four-time Master Blender of the Year and great-great-granddaughter of Nearest Green, Victoria Eady Butler.” Limited official tasting notes make mention of “a bold, decadent nose; a palate brimming with light vanilla cream, caramelized sugar, and the unmistakable spice of rye; complimented by a long, rich finish.

“It took us a while to release our 100-proof straight rye whiskey. If we were going to add rye to our lineup, it had to be worthy of all the accolades and awards our other whiskeys receive,” said Butler in a prepared statement. “My great-great-grandfather’s legacy of excellence requires us to take our time to do things differently. I’m confident he would have been so proud of this straight rye whiskey.”

Given the “challenges around growing rye in Tennessee,” which is where Uncle Nearest is located, “this whiskey originates in Canada – according to the exact American specifications required to be a straight rye whiskey – and is then aged in New York for a minimum of four years before moving down to Tennessee, where it is then rested in used Uncle Nearest barrels for additional maturation.”

“When I was doing my research on Nearest Green, I came across a handwritten letter from President William Taft,” said Fawn Weaver, founder and CEO of Uncle Nearest. “The letter was dated May 16, 1911, and was addressed to his U.S. Secretary of War, Jacob M. Dickinson, thanking him for sending his favorite rye whiskey ‘of the Lincoln County variety.’ This letter led me to believe rye whiskeys were being made in this area, so after I found that letter there was no doubt in my mind a straight rye whiskey would one day be added to our portfolio of whiskeys.”

Uncle Nearest Straight Rye Whiskey is pricing around $59. Uncle Nearest Single Barrel Black Label ($79) will release on Black Friday, November 25, and Uncle Nearest Single Barrel Rye ($89) on December 15.