About This Book
The man who taught Jack Daniel to make whiskey was Black—and history nearly forgot his name entirely.
New York Times bestselling author Fawn Weaver traces the life of Nearest Green, the African American distilling master whose skill and mentorship shaped one of America's most iconic spirits. Drawing on personal interviews, archival research and long-buried documents, Love & Whiskey reconstructs not only Green's pivotal role in the creation of Jack Daniel's whiskey but also the remarkable bond between the two men—and Daniel's deliberate efforts to preserve his teacher's legacy. Weaver's investigation runs parallel to her own present-day quest, which ultimately led to the founding of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey.
For anyone who believes American history still has stories worth reclaiming, this book delivers one of its most overlooked. Weaver moves between past and present with urgency, making the case that honoring those who shaped our culture—yet remained in the shadows—is both a historical obligation and a living act.