Episode 242

Uncle Nearest

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Uncle Nearest

Episode 242

What’s shakin, cocktail fans? Welcome to Episode 242 of The Modern Bar Cart Podcast!

This time around, we’re joined by Victoria Eady Butler, Master Blender at Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, and the great-great granddaughter of Nearest Green – the former slave who taught Jack Daniel how to distill. Of course, this is our tribute to National Bourbon History Month, and what better way to celebrate our nation’s favorite spirit than to explore the figures who pioneered American whiskey, and those who are leading it into the future.

In this fascinating conversation with Victoria Eady Butler, Master Blender for Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, some of the topics we discuss include:

How Victoria transitioned from a career in criminal justice fighting organized crime to her role as the Master Blender for Uncle Nearest, where she won back-to-back titles as Master Blender of the Year in 2021 and 2022.
What happened when she teamed up with historian and Uncle Nearest CEO Fawn Weaver to unearth the living legacy of her great-great grandfather, Nearest Green who was touted during his lifetime as the best distiller in the region.
The importance of the Lincoln County Process, which is the primary differentiator between Tennessee whiskey and bourbon, and which was perfected by Nearest as a signature production technique.
Then, of course, we taste Uncle Nearest’s flagship product: 1884 Small Batch whiskey, which won Best American whiskey in 2021.
We also investigate Victoria’s signature approach to blending, which involves specific techniques to protect her palate and ensure that she addresses the all-important “finish” of the whiskey.
Along the way, we learn about the deeply important philanthropic work of the Nearest Green Foundation, why Tennessee Whiskey is “Bourbon plus one,” where you can go to drink at the longest bar in the world, and much, much more.

Featured Cocktail: Lynchburg Lemonade

This episode’s featured cocktail is the Lynchburg Lemonade. To make it, you’ll need:

1 ½ oz of Tennessee Whiskey, like Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey
1 oz of an orange liqueur like triple sec
½ oz simple syrup
½ oz fresh lemon juice
4 ounces of your favorite lemon-lime soda to top

This is a “built” drink. So in a highball glass with ice, combine your non-carbonated ingredients, then top with the lemon-lime soda, give it a gentle stir to combine, garnish with anything you please, and enjoy.

The Lynchburg Lemonade, created as a tribute to the Jack Daniel’s brand in Lynchburg, TN, is a product of the 1980s – a time when sour mix was in EVERYTHING. So you’ll notice that we tweaked the recipe from an ounce of sour mix to incorporate a half ounce each of lemon juice and simple syrup – but you do you. If there’s a ratio of sweet to sour that you prefer, by all means, follow your bliss.

The two variables that will likely have the most noticeable impact on the character of this cocktail are your choice of orange liqueur and your choice of whiskey. You can go for a light triple sec, a barrel aged Grand Marnier, or a traditional curacao, which will all yield different orange notes. And then of course, everyone has their favorite whiskey for mixing in a long drink, so probably no need to break the bank on this bottle – but ultimately, it’s not up to us to lecture you on how to drink your whiskey.

This episode was made possible with editing and sound design by Samantha Reed, Tennessee Whiskey insights courtesy of Victoria Eady Butler, and a little bit of interview magic by yours truly. This has been a Modern Bar Cart production, copyright 2022.

This episode is also brought to you by Near Country Provisions. If you live in the Mid-Atlantic and want to enjoy ethically raised (and delicious) meat from local farmers delivered to your door every month, then you need Near Country in your life.

Head over to NearCountry.com and enter the code BARCART when you sign up for your subscription to receive 2 free pounds of bacon or ground beef in your first delivery.

Uncle Nearest

Featured Cocktail: Lynchburg Lemonade

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