Every good whiskey has a story. But some pour forth a history so rich, so tangled up with legacy and triumph, that it feels like sipping from a living archive. Enter Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey’s 2025 Master Blend Edition — a cask-strength love letter to the spirit’s roots and the future it’s forging, all bottled up and finally ready to break free from the distillery gates.
Uncle Nearest has been rewriting the story of American whiskey since 2017, honoring the legacy of Nearest Green, the first known African American master distiller. And this year, the brand is marking its eighth anniversary with a release that’s both historic and fiercely anticipated. The 2025 Master Blend Edition — once a distillery-only treasure — is stepping into the national spotlight. For the first time, 8,888 bottles will be released nationwide, a symbolic nod to eight years of lifting up Green’s name, one bottle at a time.
This is no ordinary pour. The Master Blend Edition is curated by Victoria Eady Butler, a fifth-generation descendant of Nearest Green and four-time Master Blender of the Year. In each batch, Butler hand-selects the barrel she deems most spectacular, setting it aside like a secret waiting for the right moment. Those chosen barrels are then blended to create what might just be Uncle Nearest’s most complex expression yet: bold and layered, humming with caramelized sugar, dark fruit, and a generous swirl of warm baking spice.
The accolades? They speak louder than any marketing campaign ever could. The 2025 Master Blend Edition was crowned World’s Best Bourbon by America’s top bartenders at the 2025 Bartender Spirits Awards and snagged titles for Best Whisky, Best Tennessee Whiskey, and Spirit of the Year. To date, the Master Blend has stacked up more than 270 awards, including 46 Double Golds and 106 Golds, cementing its place as one of the most decorated spirits on the planet.
“This Master Blend is a celebration not just of the past eight years, but of everything that lies ahead,” Butler says. “It’s bold, it’s beautiful, and I can’t wait for more people to finally experience it.” Some lucky collectors might even find an Easter egg inside: bottles secretly signed by Butler herself.
Founder and CEO Fawn Weaver sums it up best: “It takes a truly special occasion — like our 8th anniversary — to justify releasing our most beloved bottle into the market. The Master Blend Edition flies off our shelves every week for good reason. It’s the crème de la crème of Uncle Nearest.”
Previously only found at the Nearest Green Distillery in Tennessee, this historic bottle is now rolling out in 32 markets nationwide at a suggested retail price of $149. Unsurprisingly, the first presale batch on ReserveBar.com vanished in a flash.
For those ready to claim a piece of whiskey history — and taste the bold spirit that honors a legend — you can track down your own bottle of the 2025 Master Blend Edition on the Uncle Nearest website’s “Find” section. Just don’t wait too long. Like all great stories worth telling, these bottles won’t sit still for long.
