At that time, more than 15 distilleries were operating in Moore County, Tennessee. Daniel chose his signature square-shaped bottles in the late s to convey a sense of fairness and integrity. His brand grew even further upon winning the gold medal for finest whiskey at the St. In the competition, he was up against 20 longstanding distillers of Europe and around the globe. Not long, his failing health led him to choose to retire and let his two nephews operate the distillery.
He never married or had children of his own. Moore County was voted to be a dry county in Tennessee passed a statewide Prohibition barring legal distillation of whiskey in the state in The company began distilling in St.
Louis, Missouri and Birmingham, Alabama for a short time until nationwide Prohibition passed in None of the whiskey made at either location ever made it to stores because of quality issues. An infection is said to have began out of that injury which lead to blood poisoning and his death in Biographers dispute whether this is true. This photo from the late s—one of just a handful that show Jack Daniel with a mustache, necktie, and white hat —also shows Nearest Green's son, sitting at his right-hand side.
This episode, we follow Weaver as she tracks down Green's descendants and pieces together the true story of his relationship with Jack Daniel. Ultimately, her research reveals that Nearest Green not only taught Jack Daniel how to make whiskey, but was, in fact, the first master distiller for Jack Daniel's Distillery, and thus also the first African-American master distiller on record in the United States.
But how did Green get written out of history? And what was his role in shaping the unique flavor of Tennessee whiskey? Listen in now to hear this long-forgotten story that lies at the heart of one of America's most iconic brands. Fawn Weaver is an entrepreneur, investor, author, and co-founder of the Nearest Green Foundation.
You can read more about her research and the projects she is undertaking to honor Nearest Green's memory and legacy here.
I could not tell you how or why. The only thing I know is it didn't happen under Jack Daniel's watch. Weaver first learned about Daniels' teacher four years ago when the New York Times published an article about the th anniversary of the beloved American brand when Jack Daniels' historians finally revealed the true story about its founder.
The article featured a photo of Daniels sitting next to a Black man. Weaver worked with the town of Lynchburg, where Green and Daniels lived, to find out exactly who the man was. During Al's interview with Weaver, he learned about how she is cementing Green's legacy for generations to come. Based in Shelbyville, Tennessee, the distillery makes premium whiskies using a recipe from the 19th century.
Weaver founded the brand three years ago and spoke with Green's family about how best to honor their ancestor. In September , the Nearest Green Distillery opened for visitors. While it is temporarily closed to the public due to coronavirus pandemic, future visitors will be able to book founders' tours, bus tours and VIP tastings.
0コメント