Uncle Nearest to Raise $1.4 Million for Underfunded Black Colleges and Universities With a Popular Cocktail

Uncle Nearest plans on raising $1.4 million for HBCUs, Historically Underfunded Black Colleges. (Photo: Uncle Nearest Whiskey)

On Tuesday, Uncle Nearest announced the return of the HBCU Old Fashioned Challenge. The whiskey brand intends to raise $1.4 million for underfunded Historically Black Colleges and Universities to supply in-state tuition funds for scholarships.

“Before we sold our first bottle of Uncle Nearest, we were already funding the college education of Nearest Green’s descendants,” founder and CEO of Uncle Nearest Fawn Weaver said in a news release. “Every semester, writing those checks brought me immense joy, knowing the significant impact they would have on each student’s life. This same feeling resurfaced when I began writing tuition checks to HBCUs for our Old Fashioned Challenge. It’s an honor, and my hope is that we can continue this tradition annually with the checks growing larger as the Uncle Nearest whiskey family expands.”

Uncle Nearest is named for Nathan “Nearest” Green, a formerly enslaved man who taught his distilling techniques to Jack Daniel and was the first master distiller for the Jack Daniel Distillery, as well as the first Black master distiller in the U.S.

The challenge is set to take place from now until Juneteenth. Individuals interested in assisting the wildly popular whiskey brand in reaching its goal can purchase an Old Fashioned at participating bars and restaurants, any bottle of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey at retail stores, submit photos of their own Uncle Nearest Old Fashioned here or purchase an Uncle Nearest Old Fashioned bundle on ReserveBar.

A $1 donation will be made each time a cocktail or bottle is purchased at participating businesses. For any Uncle Nearest Old Fashioned bundle purchased, $2 will be donated to the cause.

NPR reports that according to an analysis from the U.S. Department of Education, federal officials told 16 states they have been underfunding HBCUs by nearly $14 billion over the last 30 years. Uncle Nearest intends to raise money and spread awareness about how HBCUs level the playing field.

The brand writes that though HBCUs make up less than 3% of colleges, they have a “proven record” of degree completion and career-related success after graduation. Graduates of HBCUs make up “50 percent of Black doctors and Black attorneys, 40 percent of Black engineers and Black members of Congress, and 80 percent of Black judges.”

“Uncle Nearest gives a lot with ‘pulling as we climb’ being part of our DNA right from the start,” said Victoria Eady Butler, the great-great-granddaughter of Nearest Green and four-time Master Blender of the Year in a statement. “But this challenge is something special, ’cause we’re inviting our whiskey family to join us in giving back. Seeing the excitement from them, and our thousands of retail, bar, hotel, and airline partners across the country even before this year’s challenge kicked off, well, that lets me know we’ve started something extraordinary. To our whiskey family and partners everywhere, thank y’all.”

An Exciting Time for Uncle Nearest

Over the last few months, exciting things have been on the horizon for the Uncle Nearest whiskey brand. On Oct. 11, Uncle Nearest revealed it was setting its sights on Cognac, and had secured 50 acres of vineyards within the region.

On Jan. 8, the whiskey brand released a Hot Toddy Sorbet as part of a collaboration with Jeni’s Ice Creams. The female-led brands collaborated on this wintery treat that is described as hosting a “bold flavor, with a delightful kick of cayenne, ginger and orange.”

Join the Whiskey Raiders Bottle of the Month Club, where you will receive hard-to-find bottles curated by Whiskey Raiders staff with a 90+ rating on whiskeyraiders.com plus live virtual tastings. Sign up here!