This Tennessee Whiskey Was Inspired By The Best Whiskey Maker The World Never Knew

When you think of Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel’s Distillery comes to mind, as it is known as one of the best selling whiskeys of the world. However, are you aware of the history behind the spirit? Yes, we know the popular booze has been around for over 150 years created by a young Jack in Lynchburg, Tennessee but now the secret roots are gaining attention.

We now recognize that the man who actually taught a teenaged Jack Daniel distilling was Nathan “Nearest” Green, the first African- American master distiller on record. Nearest Green was a slave on the property of a preacher and distiller, Dan Call, who for many years was credited for schooling Jack Daniel on how to make whiskey. That was until an article in the New York Times reported Daniel did not learn distilling from Call, but from a man named Nearest Green.

Call partnered Jack with Nearest, his best distiller, on how to create treasured hooch and with the beginning of a beautiful friendship. A year after the 13th Amendment, Jack Daniel opened his own distillery and hired Nearest Green as his head distiller. Today, Green is mentioned in tours at Jack Daniel’s, and three living Green descendants still work at the famed distillery.