Uncle Nearest Single Barrel Whiskey Review

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Near the top of the Uncle Nearest lineup of whiskies is their Single Barrel Whiskey – also known as “Black Label” for reasons that should be obvious. Other reviewers before me have noted the distinct lack of identification for what kind of “whiskey” is actually used in this series. By labeling the product with only that word, it opens up the possibility that it could be a whole range of whiskey types sourced from different distilleries located around Middle Tennessee (which the rear label claims it all comes from).

So what’s the deal with the label? I believe it’s because the team at Uncle Nearest decided that rather hand-write the type of whichever whiskey was used (because I’m guessing there is more than one), that they’d use a “catch all” wording like whiskey. This also keeps the cloak of secrecy behind the provenance of many of these barrels.

What kind of whiskey is inside a typical bottle of Uncle Nearest Single Barrel?

I believe that Tennessee Whiskey makes up a majority of the barrels used in Black Label. The most obvious producers would be George Dickel and Tennessee Distilling LTD. I also think it’s possible that some barrels came from Prichard’s, Corsair or Old Glory Distilling. All of these distilleries use different processes, stills and aging warehouses that contribute to vastly different products.

The problem with sourcing so many types of whiskey (Fawn Weaver claimed to be sourcing from 5 different distilleries) is that they all use different mash bills, grain sources, barrel entry proofs and filtration processes like the Lincoln County Process. To have so much variety will inevitably draw criticism from customers of the brand who might complain that a single barrel they bought a year ago doesn’t taste anywhere close to a single barrel they bought today.

Foreseeing this problem, Uncle Nearest takes all of these different whiskey types and runs them through their proprietary triple filtration system. This is done after maturation is complete, not before. The purpose is to achieve a uniform color, taste and consistency. It also would not surprise me if a little bit of coloring is added to the liquid so that each bottle of Single Barrel would look similar on a shelf (by law, Uncle Nearest could add up to 2.5% coloring by volume). Don’t believe me? Then let me direct your attention to a spirit that Uncle Nearest has already produced where they used their filtering process to essentially strip all color from a mature whiskey (this is not white dog you’re looking at). Behold, Uncle Nearest 1856 Silver:

The fact that this exists proves that they have the technology on site to strip color out if needed. Other than that, there’s not much more I can expand upon with this label. I wish I could tell you more about its age or the barrel type or why it was chosen, but all of these things are held in secret by the company. As an enthusiast who represents about 1% of all whiskey drinkers, I will say that the lack of information makes a single barrel like this seem dull and uninteresting. There’s no way for me to choose a favorite type and buy more of it. I just have to take Uncle Nearest’s word that all of their single barrels are good. And that’s not good enough for me. But casual drinkers probably won’t care.

This next part is for the future readers who might find this review in 2029 – I believe that it will be clear when Uncle Nearest begins bottling its own single barrels made at their Shelbyville, TN distillery. You’ll be able to tell because it should be labeled with the prefix “NGD-” before each barrel number. This will indicate it was likely produced at the Nearest Green Distillery (whose column still wasn’t yet operational as of late 2023). Their website seems to hint at what it will look like:

Today I’ll be reviewing Single Barrel 905 which comes in at 122 proof. How did I like it? Let’s find out. I sampled this neat in a glencairn.

Tasting Notes

Nose: Sweet, nutty notes of marzipan, caramel and vanilla wafers start off the nose on a pleasant note. After a bit, I pick up on roasted corn-on-the-cob and a little cinnamon spice. Looking deeper, I can find some floral scents that combine with a little bit of dry hay.

Palate: Each sip delivers a well-rounded array of flavors to include roasted corn, marzipan vanilla, new leather and some oak. Fruit notes come courtesy of cherries, orange zest, grape soda and flintstone chewable multivitamins. The caramel sweetness from the nose transforms into wildflower honey and a bit of ginger beer.

Finish: After the sip is complete, I’m finding a particular grain-forward flavors like hoecakes with vanilla icing on top. Marzipan notes from before become just almond skins while the tannins turn into wood polish. Fruits like cherries and (bitter) orange remain while also picking up on a tiny lingering note of banana. Where was that before?

Score: 7.6/10

I can’t argue that what I found inside of this bottle tasted like good whiskey to me. It also immediately reminded me of George Dickel Tennessee Whiskey. That corn-forward, marzipan rich, Flintstone vitamin punch is just too recognizable. Luckily, I rather enjoy whiskey from Dickel. I don’t give it the hate that others might. Do I think that it needed more filtration on top of what it normally gets? Not really, but it didn’t hurt it too much.

In fact, I think that whatever process Uncle Nearest may or may not have ran it through made it slightly smoother in taste and heat delivery. It sure didn’t taste like a 122 proof whiskey; more like a 105 proof one. There was also plenty of fruit notes and the floral, ginger beer and marzipan/almond notes make it more interesting than a standard bourbon. Count me as a fan.

Final Thoughts

For its price of around $80, Uncle Nearest Single Barrel has some stiff competition. Many enthusiasts are still trying to track down bottles of Russell’s Reserve or Four Roses Private Selection for that price. The thing about those bottles is that it’s easy to know what whiskey is inside of them. Even a non-distillery producer like Barrell Craft Spirits is pretty open (if you ask them) on the origin of their single barrels. They’ll even label them according to the whiskey type. What I’m trying to say is that there are many brands out there offering a cask strength, single barrel experience for a similar price while also telling you what’s in the bottle. Uncle Nearest could be doing this with their label.

Does all of this matter if the whiskey is good? Many will argue that it doesn’t. But for an enthusiast who needs quantifiers to guide their interest on a particular product, we need that information. That’s why I implore Uncle Nearest to please give us more information like a mash bill or the age of the barrel to go off of. Otherwise there’s no reason for the Single Barrel label to exist. Just batch all of them together and call it “Uncle Nearest 1856 Barrel Proof.”

This bottle was graciously provided to me by Uncle Nearest with no expectation of a review and no strings attached. All opinions are mine and were not influenced by its receipt.