Named for Nathan “Nearest” Green the first known African American master distiller and the man who taught Jack Daniel his trade Uncle Nearest 1856 Premium Aged Whiskey puts Tennessee whiskey history in the glass at 100 proof. The blend draws on well-aged Tennessee stocks and the sugar-maple charcoal mellowing that defines the state’s style. It pours rich for the proof: caramel and maple up front, baking spice and toasted oak behind, a long warm finish. The 1856 took back-to-back World’s Best honors at the World Whiskies Awards in 2019 and 2020, the awards run that made this bottle an anchor on serious shelves. Sip it neat, or build it into an old fashioned that means it.