The Poor Orphan Who Created World’s Best-Selling Whiskey

Back in 1866, Jack Daniel's became the first registered distillery in the United States; today, it is the top-selling whiskey in the world. All around the globe, people recognize the iconic black-and-white label on the equally iconic square bottle. And with a brand value of 4 billion, that doesn’t come as much of a surprise!
For much of the brand’s 155-plus years, the story went that the young Jack Daniel learned his trade from a pastor. But as it turns out, the tale is actually quite a bit more complicated than that…
Sources
Jack Daniel
• Video
www.jackdaniels.com/vault/how...
mintjuleptours.com/2018/05/18...
www.businessinsider.com.au/ja...
Nearest Green
www.nearestgreen.com/about-ne...
gastropod.com/the-secret-hist...
www.nytimes.com/2016/06/26/di...
www.nytimes.com/2017/08/15/di...
Jack Daniel’s History
www.jackdaniels.com/our-story
www.jackdaniels.com/vault/old...
www.theatlantic.com/business/...
knowledgenuts.com/you-cant-le...
www.history.com/topics/roarin...

[@EngineerDJ_Julius]

Jack Daniels legacy is the most extreme version of "right place right time"

[@kwekubadu172]

We still preserve our foods with charcoal in West Africa

[@ttothep1]

I knew I find a fact that isn’t true in your video. Nearest Green was known and was mentioned plenty in Jacks autobiography published in the 1960s. Far before 2016. They sold this book downtown in Lynchburg.

[@MrGilliganz]

Thanks for this...wonder if this autobiography is still available?

[@ttothep1]

@@MrGilliganz 💯 interesting read you even have letters from family of Nearest thanking the author for giving Mr green recognition for being apart of Jack Daniels story.

[@heyjoejp]

True. May I add it wasn’t jack (jasper) who denied Nearest the truth. After Jacks passing … hacks family tried for decades to distance themselves from Nearest. Changed the narrative etc; a very unfortunate part.

[@austinnighteyes1900]

And isn’t their 150 year anniversary in 2025.

[@BasedU.S.parriot1776]

Because they’re woke

[@hadejet6585]

Top quality production. No unnecessary ads or long intros. Best channel I've discovered this year. Keep it up!

[@cathykariuki8474]

Love the narrative of another iconic brand...I was totally awed by the amounts JD is worth & global sales! Was tickled by how in the past the preacher just distilled the whisky as a normal occupation.😂😂..Keep it coming.👍👍

[@surendrangobi710]

Good whiskey is always a way of life

[@georgecuyler7563]

I was more of a bourbon sipper when I drank, I gave up the drink ten years ago and haven't looked back. I had once again woke up in the drunk tank and this time I had to sit for a full twelve hours and boy did my head hurt, as I sat there I realized I wasn't being a very good example for the young people of my Indigenous community and I wasn't representing my people in a good way. I had become the stereotypical drunk, passing out in public places, being bulligerant and public nuisance and I decided then and there that I would quit drinking and enjoy sobriety, it worked whereas in the past I said I was going to try. Now I'm thirty years clean and ten years sober.

[@Camefromnone]

Do you live in Winnipeg?

[@georgecuyler7563]

@@Camefromnone I did, but I'm now on the west coast.

[@Camefromnone]

@@georgecuyler7563 ahh nice 👍

[@dbev]

Ok 👍🏾

[@tedburnell5356]

This account misses out on the Harry Lippman loan to Matlow to get the company restarted after prohibition. It was also Lippman's ability to market and distribute that helped make the brand as well know as it got. The two of them hated each other during prohibition, as they were competing in selling moonshine illegally. A judge had them drive together to take their whisky out of state to Kentucky, and they became fast friends. There is a beer in Tennessee called Hap and Harry's to commemorate the friendship that made them both very rich.

[@lovelyken8221]

Nathan “Nearest” Green !!

[@rickintexas1584]

My wife is a direct descendant of Rev. Daniel Call. Her family has been telling me for years that he taught Jack Daniels to distill whiskey. There is now a Call Family distillery in North Carolina.

[@PIA-tj5hc]

The reverend didn’t teach Jack to distill Nearest Green was in charge of the distillery. The reverend sent the orphaned Jack to work with Uncle Nearest.

[@rickintexas1584]

@@PIA-tj5hc if you go to the Call Family Distillery in North Carolina you will see the signed letter showing Dan Call selling his distillery to Jack Daniels. Nearest Green was like an employee of the distillery (he was actually a slave). Dan Call taught Nearest Green, who taught Jack Daniels.

[@lolam.5062]

​@@rickintexas1584I doubt tht call taught Nathan 2 distill. They came here with traditional skills historically.

[@loganbagley7285]

Nearest green's legacy is alive and well. They have a new +50 million dollar distillery located a short, beautiful drive, north of Lynchburg. If you really like whiskey or bourbon you need to stop by. They have been the most awarded American whiskey or bourbon since 2019 when they reopened.

[@healthquest4823]

Jack Daniel's is the benchmark for whiskey. JD is just what whiskey is supposed to taste like.

[@shandy4479]

Agreed. If someone says any other whiskey taste better they don’t know what they are saying

[@motog4-75]

Woodford reserve tastes way better.

[@fakename1656]

@@motog4-75 yep Jack is bottom shelf for me

[@user-xs5bl9dy6d]

@@shandy4479 You need to broaden your horizon a bit more. I started out with JD" moved to Bourbon and now I drink Scotch. There are literally dozens of better whiskies out there than Jack Daniel"

[@RockAndRollPig]

Cheap artificial flavor.. That is not a natural wiskey.. Mine stomach turn only by smelling it.. Every real wiskey taste better than JD. If ever tasted good.. That is a past. And I am a man who drinks a quality baverage.. Not comercialized name. Who ever says it is a best wiskey.. I say.. You are amateur.

[@wallstreetbro]

What a masterpiece, keep up the good work!

[@BusinessStoriesOfficial]

I appreciate it, thanks so much! :)

[@stratsteveo106]

I drink jack daniels every day! Love it

[@Pfhunkie]

You can buy the whiskey in Lincoln County but only at the distillery itself; they do it through a loophole

[@DoctorElleGrumpy]

Jasper "Jack" Newton Daniel!! I got a friend and his name is Jack Lives in a bottle and the labels black Proud Tennessee Squire!!

[@MrKen-wy5dk]

1:25 Where did Jack get his 2022 style clothes and backpack?

[@sabihatanveer8494]

Wow fascinated by the history 🤔

[@emptybucket1988]

Love the story

[@johnstuby8036]

watch it go down like budweiser one of my favorite drinks though sad days

[@miso_geek]

Nathan "Nearest" Green

[@202One]

Stolen formula-patent, as usual..!

[@abhishekdixit2627]

Nearest "Green"

[@ruthiecanan1045]

uncle nearest!!! way better than jack….

[@202One]

@@ruthiecanan1045 Keep it Near-est..!

[@diamondcharisma4167]

What a name

[@dopeflamingo8812]

Glad Nearest's descendants are capitalizing off his recipe now. Bcuz Uncle Nearest is a bomb ass whiskey

[@yoga4u283]

New Zealand likes it too btw

[@ictdpowerstroke4591]

Just got me a sip of Jack Daniels before this video

[@ianbeadle6313]

Jack Daniels is my drink of choice.

[@leogilbert207]

Nearest green......the legend!

[@iaingraham4911]

My favourite

[@damilaresanusi5430]

Learnt that your need to be a good salesman to succeed

[@prmovieelite7240]

I’m one of the people who buy it to I love it I have 3 on my collection on my house

[@garycollier6950]

Read that Frank Sinatra was buried with a fifth of Jack Daniel's , a pack of Camel's cigarettes and 5 dimes. During the time when Frank was a kid his mother made him keep 5 dimes in his pocket in case he needed to call home.

[@zafarshah2081]

Love it ❤️ ♥️ 💕

[@peterjkurylowicziii7095]

DAVID ALLEN COE ONCE SAID JACK DANIELS, IF YOU PLEASE AND I'LL SAY AGAIN JACK DANIELS, IF YOU PLEASE 💯💯💯💯💯

[@northerniltree]

Jack kicked his safe, and got a toe infection. His freshly distilled whiskey had an undiluted proof of about 100, enough to be used as an antiseptic. So why wasn't that done?

[@INCOGNITO-kd5ub]

Showing a picture of the pastor with a boy sanding a rod. WTH man 🤦

[@milliondollargoldrose]

Time stamp?

[@bluez4u2]

The party kids keep old #7 going otherwise it's not that good. I understand that some of their other, higher end JD whiskey offerings are actually quite good.

[@Brandenuzis]

Definitely not the worst jd. Tennessee rye is pretty nasty. Besides that I don’t have a problem drinking any other jack. Old #7, triple mash etc

[@kortneysmith9202]

Yeah! The black guy name is Norris Green he's one that created whisky and they hired him as factory worker.

[@kenrivers9757]

Facts.. but they(WHT FOLKS) DONT want to have that conversation....

[@theresab7760]

*Nearest

[@topformwear]

I thought he stole the recipe from a slave or I'm wrong??

[@ttothep1]

Wrong he was taught how to make whiskey and the Lincoln county process of making whiskey by Dan Call a preacher and who also helped was a slave named Nearest Green. Jack was ten years old with these being taught this. His mash bill recipe witch came way latter in life was all him.

[@82libragame]

he definitely did, and now that man has his own whiskey

[@82libragame]

Dan Call was taught by Green, and the two taught JD

[@ttothep1]

@@82libragame wrong your spreading false information. Please read Jack Daniels autobiography and then come and visit Lynchburg Tennessee to the distillery. There is zero evidence that Dan Call Learned to make whiskey from Nearest Green. That is just making stuff up.

[@ttothep1]

@@82libragame all that being said Jack Daniels Whiskey mash bill was created years latter so it is a moot point who Dan Call learned how to make whiskey. Even though there is zero evidence that Dan Learned from Nearest Green.

[@rnrtv1]

If your going to give credit to Narest Green, at least put a picture of him. There’s literally picture of Nathan & Jack together. You guys have to do better, but I appreciate the content

[@rvrao1972]

Lemmy Jack Kilmister....

[@moonkinga12]

So really it is Nathans Nearest Green's drink, but with Jack's name on it...

[@politicsuncensored5617]

Hummm wrong. You did not listen to the full video or fully understand what they said. Actually the whiskey business was owned by the pastor. The pastor was given a choice by his church. Sell the whiskey business orgive up preaching. He sold the whiskey business to JD for $25.00. That would include how the whiskey was made. Nathans Nearest Green was an employee of the business. Green did not own the whiskey, process of making it or the distillery. He worked for the pastor and did not follow JD when he started his business. 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐦

[@eelliott74]

I’m sure ol’ Jack is spinning in his grave now

[@anastasia10017]

1:03 Scotland is in Africa ??? Wales is in S. America ?? WTF.

[@6justin9]

I had no idea. 🤣

[@lk3309]

Lol...it is now with woke history.

[@vijeethsuvarna344]

Video maker had 3 pegs of jack daniels before making the video😄😄😄So scotland went to africa , and wales in South america😂😂😂😂

[@chrismagero3290]

Now I know...

[@prasadnaiquesai]

Good that God got it what is his & Ceaser what is Ceasers.Jack won the Jackpot in the form of Whiskey by the grace of God.

[@nicolesarmijo1908]

So no drinking at the Distillery

[@chighinestorr1086]

I can see why the bottle is black and white!

[@dontbeshy8947]

Great whiskey but it most definitely wasn’t created by that little guy respectfully

[@The_Republic_of_Ireland]

I wouldn't say it's the best whiskey but good video nonetheless

[@user-dl7cv6bj1s]

😢❤

[@mintusaren895]

Food grains unknown.

[@petartadic245]

Oj its ok and fine but not like Rakija ha ha , no much more drink for life is mister old Bourbon am from Balkan Croatia and JACK , THNX!!!!!

[@mrk3637]

Buona ambulanza davanti alice iointendo includere il brand nel movimento gestionale starship pizza escludendo il cup di relazione italiano fuori davvero

[@ambersaleem2791]

What is the meaning of 0ld No.07

[@thrones4531]

According to Daniel's biographer, the origin of the "Old No. 7" brand name was the number assigned to Daniel's distillery for government registration. He was forced to change the registration number when the federal government redrew the district, and he became Number 16 in district 5 instead of No. 7 in district 4.

[@ambersaleem2791]

@@thrones4531 thanks

[@joshwarren7569]

Nope.wales is in great britian Scotland is part of Europe as well.

[@thomasholcomb3393]

Pronounced Mott-low

[@Subourbon]

Belgian monks brew beer to support their monasteries.

[@user-jq1pj5dm2b]

So the greenes dont want to promote or complications during prohibition selling skills or ither skills jack did to promote his business or that he freeed mr greene and employed him in an era of history. I wonder what flack got for hiring mr greene

[@mzhundred8169]

All these priests and young boys

[@Wheelie150]

Nathan green is the creator of jack Daniels

[@demkape]

Let’s not forget Nathan nearest green thought jake daniels how to make whiskey a black slave at the time

[@ShaneEstabrooks]

interested in this but can't listen to a someone who repeats the facts over and over

[@pahalasimanjuntak9766]

Bujanginam

[@FarmerMatt]

Jack was not orphan I don't know who came up with that but his faults I've been to the distillery and heard the true stories so whoever came up with an orphan is wrong

[@antoineford1185]

About to be like to watch them not say shit about unc

[@CHENAll1038]

EXITOINREDTES

[@wealthyblackman2655]

Blacks own that stuff then!!

[@kortneysmith9202]

I think a black guy had some thing due with see whisky

[@kortneysmith9202]

Norris Green a black man taught jack Daniel the skill craft on making whisky it was Norris Green creation. After helping Jack Daniel he made Norris Green a employee at Jack Daniel factory. The man should have been some type of business partner, however it was his cultural and color of his skin in America. You know North America and South America have loot of stolen history from black people.

[@noblebeasly9145]

For $40 a fifth

[@staypositive7]

It's truly a great brand and story. Wish the son of the black Master had more say

[@loganbagley7285]

You can buy whiskey or bourbon that is distilled using Nearest Green's original process. They opened the Nearest Green distillery in 2019, it's an amazing whiskey, and they are constantly adding to the museum and the history of it. Many of his descendants work there as well. Highly recommend it if your in the middle tennessee area.

[@petejames1326]

so jack daniels never had a wife or kids, so he was a FOREVER ALONE? women hated him? or he actually chose to be a Bachelor?

[@craigroberts4759]

Jack Daniels was first made in Wales uk

[@AuthorLHollingsworth]

He did not make that whiskey, and we know the truth. A Black Man created that whiskey, and not one penny was given to the man's descendants. Thank you for adding the true creators name in the video. God, bless!

[@beastmode21000]

The distillery actually funds a scholarship for the descendants of Nearest Green. They made that announcement on the same day as the real story

[@danaishabrown4625]

So glad someone else knows the truth

[@politicsuncensored5617]

Actually the whiskey business was owned by the pastor and not Green. The pastor was given a choice by his church. Sell the whiskey business or give up preaching. He sold the whiskey business to JD for $25.00. That would include how the whiskey was made. Nathans Nearest Green was an employee of the business. Green did not own the whiskey, process of making it or the distillery. He worked for the pastor and did not follow JD when he started his business. 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐦

[@lolam.5062]

​@@politicsuncensored5617love the way yu phrased this! Ha!

[@lolam.5062]

It is a bit interesting how they made billions and nada 4 or abt Nearest! N fact it was said tht Jack's descendants attempted 2 distance themselves frm the truth of Nearest and what he did

[@ummglick]

Oat and a boat find the descendants of the black man and give his descendants lots of money

[@charleshall9488]

He learn from a slave

[@blackism4everokpeyen871]

He should have be having children

[@demetriusevans4139]

Lol

[@jonathonbanyon94]

It was made by a black man

[@fakename1656]

Jack Daniel's are good for whiskey and coke because it hides the taste. It's definitely bottom shelf whiskey

[@XxRollTidexX]

I think the coke hides the strong alcoholic taste to it but enhances the actual flavors, i would consider it middle shelf but to each their own. I always keep me a bottle however

[@failureideas]

Most are from orphan? WTF

[@NameName-kc3ot]

Jack denial you are describing what is wrong and you are 5th

[@demonspitch3311]

Well this shitty world belongs to the rich no one knows about Norris green

[@politicsuncensored5617]

At least get the man's name right if you are going to bi&ch about it. His name is Nathans Nearest Green. Not (Norris) as like Chuck~! 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐦

[@rooftop8339]

Great story but got a bit woke

[@DMBall]

Completely inept. The re-enactments are laughable; the "history" has no provenance at all, and even the animated map shows the Danielses emigrating from Africa to Canada to Brazil.

[@wbarney59]

Sounds like wokism propaganda 🤔

[@bkprimo1]

You should title this: The Poor Orphan who ripped off a Black worker of his whiskey recipe that he put his name on and gave no credit to. Laughable that you praise this exploiter and his progeny who only recently and begrudgingly acknowledged the victim's contribution somewhat in their museum tour and little else. SHAME.

[@LCR-ds2ox]

He didn't rip it off, he learned from the best and perfected it

[@bkprimo1]

@@LCR-ds2ox The only thing he perfected was appropriation of other's recipe, as the Black man remained his Head Distiller until he died because he thought eventually old Jack would bring him in as a partner. Nope!

[@LCR-ds2ox]

@@bkprimo1 he is Jack's partners, look at his family line, all high positions in the company and either way, Head Distiller, buddy I dunno where you're from but to me, that sounds like a good position.

[@bkprimo1]

@@LCR-ds2ox High positions in the company. Please watch the same documentary I watched and you would stop believing what ever lies you are being fed. The Daniels family had to be pressured into finally admitting that the gentleman even had anything to do with creating the whiskey. And by the way, whatever salary that man earned as the so called Head Distiller pales in comparison to the millions upon millions of dollars his family and their descendants are owed for actually creating the WORLD FAMOUS whiskey brand in the first place. that paltry salary and gratuitous title sound pretty good? To who? Maybe it does to an exploitative, carpetbagger.

[@lunareclipse0.0]

So........if this is true...... We just finna ignore that fact that it was made by slaves but it has a white dude's name on it?

[@AuthorLHollingsworth]

Exactly 💯

[@xolanimaseko6856]

Lol was that arrows pointing at Black people??

[@politicsuncensored5617]

Those were group photos from the 1860's. How else would anyone know who the narrator was talking about??? 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐦

[@Rhyfelwr_Cymreig]

He didn't create it though, it's an old Welsh recipe so there is nothing American about it.

[@BOURBON-BANDIT]

Jack Daniels is disgusting

[@josealcala4344]

Jack Daniel's taste like fermented lemons 😭 wild turkey way better

[@fakename1656]

Both are trash, bottom shelf

[@terriyoung5032]

YEP I LEARNED HE STOLE UNCLE NEAREST FORTUNE

[@jaswagg85]

Worlds 'worst' tasting whiskey...there, fixed it for ya lol cool video though 😎

[@zer0c00l3]

This whole story is a lie

[@sekhmetlove8206]

Uncle Nearest Green, I won' t drink j d no more, stole Nearest Green recipe and made millions of a black man. This happens all the time.

[@politicsuncensored5617]

You're 100% wrong. Actually the whiskey business was owned by the pastor. The pastor was given a choice by his church. Sell the whiskey business or give up preaching. He sold the whiskey business to JD for $25.00. That would include how the whiskey was made. Nathans Nearest Green was an employee of the business. Green did not own the whiskey, process of making it or the distillery. He worked for the pastor and did not follow JD when he started his business. 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐦

[@BenDover-vm7ku]

The Lincoln county process was around long before Neares Greem !!!Neares had nothing to do with it !!!@@politicsuncensored5617

[@cartomancycarmen]

He didn’t create it.

[@politicsuncensored5617]

Actually Jack Daniels did create it by calling it Jack Daniels and brewing the whiskey his own way. Before he owned the business it was just called - - Whiskey. 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐦

[@pootytang203]

Get the story right it was actually a Blackman that was a slave that actually created it!!!!!!!!

[@politicsuncensored5617]

Humm angry black lady - no~~~!!! Actually the whiskey business was owned by the pastor. The pastor was given a choice by his church. Sell the whiskey business orgive up preaching. He sold the whiskey business to JD for $25.00. That would include how the whiskey was made. Nathans Nearest Green was an employee of the business. Green did not own the whiskey, process of making it or the distillery. He worked for the pastor and did not follow JD when he started his business. 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐦

[@nastyshortychase-cl6jl]

He stole it from a black man