Fawn Weaver’s story is one of perseverance, purpose, and legacy—but it didn’t start out that way.
She dropped out of school in 10th grade, bounced between homeless shelters and attempted to take her life twice. Struggles she now says were affirmations of a higher calling — one that has materialized into an award-winning whiskey brand that has topped a billion-dollar valuation and is the fastest-growing American whiskey in history.
Weaver, a dynamic force in business and history, is one of only five African American women to found and lead a billion-dollar company in American history. As the founder and CEO of Uncle Nearest Inc., she has masterfully combined storytelling with whiskey to ensure the world never forgets the contributions of Nathan ‘Nearest’ Green, the first known Black master distiller.
A packed house turned out recently at the Buffalo Soldiers Museum in Houston to hear about Weaver’s journey, which is as compelling as the history she uncovered. In her latest book, Love & Whiskey, she weaves together the untold story of Green, the enslaved man who taught Jack Daniel how to distill. Weaver’s entrepreneurial journey commenced remarkably early.
At 18, she founded FEW Entertainment, a special events and public relations firm. She secured corporate clients that facilitated the company’s growth.
Reflecting on her career, Weaver stated, “I’ve been investing in lifestyle brands, whether restaurants or fitness studios, for the better part of the last 25 years.”
Her ventures have consistently centered around storytelling, a passion that has driven her diverse business pursuits.
Discovering Uncle Nearest
It was a fateful encounter with a New York Times article that changed everything, sparking Weaver’s mission to elevate Green’s legacy and rewrite American whiskey history.
“I think I first found out the same way that everyone outside of Lynchburg, Tennessee, did,” Weaver shared. “It was on the cover of The New York Times International Edition. I happened to be in Singapore at the time. The headline read, ‘Jack Daniel’s Embraces a Hidden Ingredient: Help From a Slave.’ The photo was of Jack Daniel surrounded by his leadership team—the only known photo Jack ever took with other people.
“Seated to his immediate right was an African American man. If you look at the uncropped version of the photo, you see Jack actually ceded the center position to him.”
That man was George Green, Nearest Green’s son. For Weaver, it was a pivotal moment.
“You’re looking at a photo taken in 1904, so it begs the question: Who was this man, and how was he so important that Jack would step out of the center of the photo and make sure this man was at the center? I truly believe it was Jack’s way of saying, ‘America will try to wipe him out—I’m not going to allow that.’ We’re looking at maybe the first known case of allyship.”
Weaver’s commitment to honoring Green’s legacy is evident in the meteoric rise of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey. Founded in 2016, it is now the fastest-growing American whiskey brand in U.S. history, the most-awarded bourbon from 2019-2023, and the best-selling African American-founded spirit brand of all time.
“Our industry is in a bit of an upheaval right now,” Weaver said. “Everyone is down year over year, but Uncle Nearest is up. We continue to push up double digits, and we’re going to do that throughout this year. I believe that 2025 will be Uncle Nearest’s strongest year, and we’ve got the momentum to back that up, which is the opposite of the industry.”
There is not a single thing that I’m doing that is easy — all of it is hard — but the alignment allows me to continue moving forward, even when there are so many things that can absolutely tear this down. Its purpose, it’s intention, it’s the way things are supposed to be.
Fawn Weaver
Beyond whiskey, Weaver’s impact extends to the Nearest Green Foundation, which provides full scholarships to Green’s descendants, ensuring his legacy lives on through education. A portion of Uncle Nearest’s proceeds supports this mission, intertwining the brand’s success with its commitment to historical recognition.
Love & Whiskey
Weaver’s book tour for Love & Whiskey has been nothing short of phenomenal, drawing audiences of 350 to 500 people per event. The Houston event was sold out within minutes. Unlike typical book tours, Weaver’s is an interactive experience where attendees ask unfiltered questions.
“Every stop, the questions have been different, and that has been very exciting for me,” she said. “People have to read Love & Whiskey because it’s really hard to explain how it came to be. When you talk about green lights, pathways lit up and open doors that you just can’t deny, [some] people would call it serendipity—I would call it faith in action.”
Through it all, Weaver remains laser-focused on building something enduring.
“I don’t care about my legacy,” she said. “The thing I want to make sure that I do while I’m alive is to build this brand so large that the next generation can’t mess it up.
“When you look at Jack Daniel’s, even when that company’s ownership is having some challenges, what you know for sure is that a generation from now, Jack Daniel’s will still be here and stronger than it is now. I look at it as my job in this generation to do the same thing for Nearest.”
Weaver wasn’t in town alone or without support.
“There is no way in the world, this could’ve been done without Fawn. This story was waiting for Fawn as such a time as this,” said Victoria Eady Butler, a 5th generation Nearest Green descendant and the 4-time Master Blender of the Year, Victoria Eady Butler.
Despite all that Weaver has already accomplished, her tenacity and mission to preserve Uncle Nearest’s legacy remain unwavering.
“I think a lot of times people confuse alignment and ease,” she said. “There is not a single thing that I’m doing that is easy — all of it is hard — but the alignment allows me to continue moving forward, even when there are so many things that can absolutely tear this down. Its purpose, it’s intention, it’s the way things are supposed to be.”
Follow Fawn Weaver’s journey on IG @fawn.weaver. Visit www.unclenearest.com for more information.
