IN THE BEGINNING, 1878
Belle Meade Bourbon was one of the 30 different labels crafted by Charles Nelson in the late 1800’s. Unlike his other products, this bourbon was produced in partnership with Sperry Wade & Company of Nashville, TN. Nelson's Green Brier Distillery was contracted by Sperry Wade & Company to distribute Belle Meade bourbon, rye, corn, and Tennessee whiskies. Upon its release in 1878, Belle Meade became a popular choice due to its exceptional quality and value. Unfortunately, the brand - along with many others - was lost and forgotten when Tennessee embraced Prohibition in 1909.
THE DISCOVERY, 2006
In 2006, Andy and Charlie Nelson, recent college graduates, were accompanying their father Bill on an errand. Their destination was a Greenbrier, Tennessee butcher shop to collect their portion of a butchered cow. While stopping for gas, they came across a historical marker about the notable Nelson's Green Brier Distillery, formerly managed by Charles Nelson.
Charlie and Andy had heard tales of a family distiller, but were unsure if it was more than a glorified moonshine setup. When they stumbled upon the local butcher, they couldn't resist asking about the old distillery. The butcher pointed to some dilapidated structures nearby, remnants of Nelson's Green Brier Distillery. Among them, an old barrel warehouse, a building for fermenting vats, and a spring house with water still flowing after all these years. After taking a swig from the spring, they returned to the butcher who slyly suggested they visit the Greenbrier Historical Society. The boys had no idea what was in store for them. It was there that they laid eyes on original whiskey bottles bearing their family name. According to Charlie, it was a moment of clarity like no other he had experienced. That's when the decision was made to revive the once-great family business. Without that chance encounter with the historical marker, who knows if the distiller would ever be rebuilt
THE OBJECTIVE
Nelson'S goal was to rebuild the once great distillery, but they knew it wouldn't be a piece of cake. It took years of research and planning, and emptied their pockets just to get their first product out there. Unfortunately, not many investors were willing to take a chance on two fresh-faced college grads running a distillery. In a time when the economy was down and the idea of a craft distillery was unheard of, Charlie faced daily rejection from potential investors, but the Nelsons didn't let that stop them. They figured they needed a product to keep them afloat and prove their worth, so they turned to bourbon - a well-aged one with a unique flavor, sourced from another distiller. Inspired by Belle Meade Bourbon, a similar plan used by their ancestor a century ago, they decided to revive the brand. After some hiccups, the Nelsons created their own proprietary blend of bourbon, testing and tasting until they found the perfect flavor - something truly one