• by Fern Siegel , August 22, 2023

Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey just launched its latest national spot, “My Sugar Baby,” via cable and streaming platforms.

All creative work was done in-house. Company founder-CEO Fawn Weaver created and executive produced the spots, directed by David Poag and produced by Steve Lamar of Lamar Brothers.

The spot is set to the music of Frank Wilson, a noted Motown writer and producer, and Weaver’s father. Emmy-winning actor Jeffrey Wright voices the new ad.

The brand is inspired by the first-known Black master distiller, Nathan "Nearest" Green, who dates from the Civil War era. Nearest is credited with helping perfect the Lincoln County Process, a filtration process used by Tennessee whiskey makers to ensure smoothness. Nearest's legacy was lost to history until an article published in 2016 in The New York Times revealed his story.

Uncle Nearest, the super-premium whiskey and bourbon maker, launched in July 2017 and the Nearest Green Distillery opened in September 2019 in Shelbyville, Tennessee. Weaver is the first Black woman to lead a major American spirits company. It's also the only major spirits brand led by an all-female executive team.

“The calling card of the Uncle Nearest brand is authenticity. Our company has one of the most diverse employee populations in America. The fact we’ve built that in the heart of Middle Tennessee will be surprising for many to see,” said Weaver.

Uncle Nearest’s prior commercial, "Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)," introduced the "Sugar Baby" song to the American public in August 2020. Since then, Bruce Springsteen re-recorded the number and released it as the first single on his 2022 album, “Only the Strong Survive.”

Uncle Nearest has distribution in all 50 states and 12 countries. It was the most awarded bourbon and American whiskey of 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, crossing $100 million in sales since launch.