Bar & Restaurant chats with Master Blender Victoria Eady Butler of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey – the super-premium whiskey from Tennessee – who’s presenting at this week’s Vibe Conference, taking place April 25-27 at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, Calif.
Questex’s Vibe Conference is the premiere on-premise beverage conference for beverage executives, featuring informative, high-level content, product tastings and valuable networking opportunities.
Eady Butler is presenting in a panel session, titled “Diverse Suppliers: Expand Your DE&I Strategy Behind the Bar,” which will be held on April 26. The session also features Cynthia Lohr, co-owner and chief brand officer at J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines; Brittany Yeng, managing director and co-founder at Skrewball Whiskey, and Deborah Brenner, founder and CEO of Women of the Vine & Spirits.
Master Blender of the Year
Recently, Eady Butler made history by being honored with her second “Master Blender of the Year” title at Whisky Magazine's American Icons of Whisky Awards. She’s the first person to win the award for two consecutive years, as well as the first female ever to be awarded the title at the competition.
“It is impossible for me to put into words how significant this is to me and my family,” said Eady Butler in a statement. “Less than five years ago, almost no one knew the name Nearest Green outside of my tiny hometown of Lynchburg. Now, he is well known as the best whiskey maker the world never knew, and the undisputed Godfather of Tennessee Whiskey. To be able to add my own legacy of whiskey-making next to his, well heck – ya’ll are going to make me cry. This is truly incredible."
Eady Butler, who is the great-great-granddaughter of the whiskey brand’s namesake, Nearest Green, initially joined the Uncle Nearest team in March 2019 as the vice president of administration. Later that year, she was appointed as the distillery's master blender.
Indeed, it was Eady Butler's undeniable talent for selecting and blending whiskeys that elevated her to the role, after the very first batch of 1884 Small Batch Whiskey she curated earned numerous awards, including Best American Whiskey at the China Wine & Spirits Awards – a distinction earned again stateside in 2021 at the prestigious Ascot Awards. The appointment also made her the first African American master blender for a major spirit brand.
Eady Butler has since earned multiple recognitions for her achievements, including being honored as Master Blender of the Year by The Spirits Business and VinePair. And under her watch and expert palate, Uncle Nearest was the most-awarded American Whiskey or Bourbon of 2019, 2020 and 2021, and is currently garnering top awards for 2022, including Double Gold medals at the World Whiskies Awards.
Last month, the Nearest Green Distillery also announced its 2022 slate of whiskeys, all of which now include Eady Butler's signature and a note from her on the front label, further cementing her legacy in whiskey history right next to her ancestor.
Question: Hi, Victoria – thanks for your time! What are you looking forward to the most at the Vibe Conference?
Answer: Learning as much as possible, networking/meeting others in the industry and, of course, the opportunity to share the story of Nearest Green.
Question: The Vibe session you’re participating in is called “Diverse Suppliers: Expand Your DE&I Strategy Behind the Bar.” The session looks at staying competitive and how companies are adapting their strategies to appeal to the conscious consumer. So, what’s your advice for industry leaders in this area?
Answer: I’m not an expert, but I would suggest that others take a look at the Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey team as a great example of what being intentional looks like when building a diverse team. Our team was intentionally built to look like the face of America. No quotas, strictly with conscientious intent and always leaning in to hire the best person.
Question: You actually started as the vice president of administration at Uncle Nearest. How did you go from that role to master blender? In fact, your CEO, Fawn Weaver, even said “Whiskey is in your blood.”
Answer: It was pretty similar to the way I joined the team – Fawn asked, and I said yes. When our 1884 Small Batch launched in July 2019, the whiskey family took to it immediately and we started winning awards right out of the gate. So, I blended the second batch. The awards and accolades kept coming. Soon thereafter, I was elevated to master blender and have blended every batch since.
Question: Congratulations on your recent honor. I know you received your second Master Blender of the Year title at Whisky Magazine's recent American Icons of Whisky Awards. What does that mean to you and Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey?
Answer: It is a tremendous honor to be the first person to be recognized back-to-back. I’m elated and so is our team. Every award, accolade, and honor we receive furthers Nearest Green’s legacy. We are grateful for each one.
Question: What trends are you paying attention to that the beverage industry should also take notice of?
Answer: I think everyone in the industry should take note that more females are now drinking whiskey and bourbon. Our team has never targeted a particular demographic, but we have taken note of the upward tick in female consumers.
Question: What do you think is the No. 1 issue right now for food/beverage/hospitality industry leaders?
Answer: Staffing and availability of needed supplies necessary to function at 100 percent.
Question: What do you want the food/beverage/hospitality industry to know or remember about Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey?
Answer: What immediately comes to mind is that we are more than whiskey. It’s not merely a hashtag. Every time a glass of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey is raised, you are raising a glass to history.
To learn more about Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, visit UncleNearest.com. Uncle Nearest is available in all 50 states and 12 countries, and is sold in more than 25,000 stores, bars, hotels, restaurants and at its distillery in Shelbyville, Tenn.
To learn more about Questex’s annual Vibe Conference, visit VibeConference.com.
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