The whiskey is named after the formerly enslaved man, Nathan "Nearest" Green, who taught a young Jack Daniel the craft of distilling.

[2][3] According to the IWSR, Uncle Nearest is the fastest-growing whiskey brand in the United States,[4] and is recognized as the most successful Black-owned distillery in the world.

[22] In October 2023, Uncle Nearest announced the acquisition of Domaine Saint Martin, a 100-acre estate and vineyard in the Grande Champagne district of Cognac.

[1][27] In 2017, a rezoning proposal was approved by the Bedford County board to accommodate a whiskey-themed business at the former Sand Creek Farms in Shelbyville, Tennessee.

[31] After a year-long closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the distillery re-opened its doors on Juneteenth 2021, adding a single-barrel rickhouse, an improved Welcome Center and Family Tasting Room, a restaurant, a non-alcoholic speakeasy,[32] and the Master Blender House.

[25] The Uncle Nearest brand originally included a silver and an aged whiskey, both distilled from locally sourced grains and bottled in Tennessee.

[40] The silver whiskey takes 25 days to make, using an 11-step process that includes a triple charcoal mellowing system designed for the brand.