Uncle Nearest Celebrates a New Phase with Major Acquisition in Cognac

When Fawn Weaver debuted Uncle Nearest in 2017, she became one of the very few women, and women of color at that, with a whiskey brand that she founded, owns, and directs. In 2020, Weaver announced even loftier ambitions: the creation of an entirely new spirits group. She’s now made the first step in that part of the journey with the purchase of Domaine Saint Martin, a sprawling property and cognac house in France.

The expansive, 100-acre estate is situated near Cognac’s Charente River and encompasses 50 acres of Grande Champagne vineyards—making it the largest holder in the region’s most esteemed cru. The property also has a distillery, barrel cellars, and cooperage. Much like Uncle Nearest—which is rooted in the history of Nathan “Nearest” Green, an enslaved man who distilled whiskey in the 1850s and taught a young Jack Daniel the craft—Domaine Saint Martin has a rich history that Weaver and her team have studied it in depth ahead of launching their own brand. The cognac house dates back to 1669 when it was commissioned by Philippe Fé de Ségeville, the Lord Mayor of Cognac; since then, it has passed through several hands, with its most recent owners being the Martells, a legendary cognac family.

While we won’t see cognac from Domaine Saint Martin’s new owner until next year, Weaver is drumming up excitement with a short movie that’s set to debut at several film festivals in the coming months. The film will feature a detailed history of cognac, and its spread from Europe into every corner of the globe. Notably, while Uncle Nearest, Inc. now owns the property, the cognac will not carry that name. More on the new name and other details is expected to emerge next year.

Although it’s distilled from grapes, not grain, cognac shares many similarities with whisky. It’s aged in oak for anywhere from 2 to 200-plus years and has a complex array of flavors to savor while sipping. Its producers, like whisky makers, experiment with single casks, unique barrel types, and other methods.