Vanilla | Oak | Caramel | Maple charcoal | Light overall

Vanilla | Light white peppercorn spice | Muddled oak | Watery

Vanilla | Dry oak | Light peppercorn spice | Short

Nearest Green Tennessee Whiskey is a new extension of the Nearest Green Distillery lineup. The company is known for their line of Uncle Nearest products, with Nearest Green being the first brand extension that drops “Uncle” and carries Nearest Green’s full name front and center. This is an interesting choice, seeing as I would have expected the brand to hold back this naming for a premium limited edition whiskey. Instead, according to the company, “Nearest Green Tennessee Whiskey was created with inclusivity and versatility in mind—an everyday bourbon that bars and restaurants can confidently pour as their first choice for cocktails or when reaching for a bottle to satisfy any call for bourbon.” This release comes on the heels of Green River 1885 Bourbon, another low cost bottle that was blended and proofed specifically for bars.

If the goal of the company was to provide a base bourbon that won’t overpower other cocktail ingredients, mission accomplished. Nearest Green Tennessee Whiskey delivers an in-offensive light sip that brings little to the table as a standalone whiskey. Its aroma is light, and its palate is thin with a finish on the short side. Personally, the point of a main spirit in a cocktail in my book is to enhance the overall cocktail, not to fade into the background. If you’re in the market for a low proof no-thrills whiskey, this marks the spot, however, you’ll be able to find equivalents for a couple of dollars less if that is what you’re after.