Jack Daniel is a household name, but Nathan “Nearest” Green, Daniel’s mentor and first master distiller, was obscure for much of the company’s history. Born into slavery, Green was instrumental in developing the distilling process for the iconic brand, and his descendants are employed by Jack Daniel Distillery to this day.
Love & Whiskey chronicles the author’s research into Green’s life and legacy, her journey in launching her own line of whiskey bearing his name, and the ensuing challenges of being a Black entrepreneur in the shadow of a massive conglomerate. Weaver obviously has her own financial interest in promoting her product, but nonetheless, there are interesting insights into the history of the whiskey industry and the steps that have been and still need to be taken to foster diversity within it.
