Book Review: Love & Whiskey by Fawn Weaver of Uncle Nearest | Just Released | The Liquor Connoisseur
- connoisseurofliquo
- May 12
- 2 min read
Updated: 12 hours ago
Fawn Weaver's 'Love & Whiskey' tells the story of Uncle Nearest — the enslaved man who taught Jack Daniel how to make whiskey, and whose legacy was erased for over a century. Crystal and Roger review the book right after its release and share why it's required reading for anyone who takes American whiskey seriously.
Book Highlights
Title: Love & Whiskey by Fawn Weaver
Author: Fawn Weaver — founder and CEO of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey
Subject: Nathan 'Nearest' Green — the first known master distiller in American history
Publisher: Just-released at time of review
Themes: American history, bourbon legacy, race, recovery of erased narratives
Available: Major booksellers
The Story That Was Hidden
Nathan 'Nearest' Green was a formerly enslaved man who taught Jack Daniel the Lincoln County Process — the charcoal filtration that defines Tennessee whiskey. His name was erased from the historical record for over a century. Fawn Weaver spent years recovering that story, founding a whiskey brand in Nearest's name, and then writing the book that tells the full human account. It is remarkable.
What Crystal & Roger Take From It
Crystal and Roger read the book before filming and come with specific passages and moments that struck them. This isn't a summary — it's a genuine engagement with the text from two people who care deeply about the history of what they drink. Their conversation with each other about the book is itself worth watching.
Why Every Bourbon Drinker Needs This Book
You can't fully understand American whiskey without understanding the role that Black Americans played in its creation and the way that role was systematically written out of history. 'Love & Whiskey' gives you back that history in a way that's readable, emotionally resonant, and rigorously researched. This is not a niche history book — it's a book about something central to American identity.
🥃 Crystal & Roger's LC Recommendations
Buy it immediately: 'Love & Whiskey' belongs on every whiskey drinker's shelf. Order it before you finish watching this episode.
Pair it with Uncle Nearest 1884: Read a chapter, pour a glass, and understand that what's in the bottle has a story that matters. The combination is powerful.
Give it as a gift: This is the spirits book gift of the year. Anyone who loves bourbon and cares about American history should read it.
LC Verdict
Essential reading, not optional reading. 'Love & Whiskey' is one of the most important books ever written about American whiskey — and Crystal and Roger's review does it justice.
Drink To Remember, Not To Forget. 🥃
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