At this year’s Invest Fest, entrepreneur and Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey CEO Fawn Weaver revealed that the company has reached record-breaking sales, describing the surge as the brand’s “Taylor Swift moment.”
Speaking during a panel discussion, Weaver acknowledged the ongoing lawsuit involving the company but explained that she was limited in what she could share publicly due to a gag order. Instead, she focused on her brand’s resilience and unprecedented growth.
“How it’s affected my company is we are having the best sales we have ever had in the history of my company,” Weaver said. “So let me be super, super clear about something… keep following the case, not the headlines, and you will find a different story beneath the headlines.”
Weaver drew a sharp parallel to Taylor Swift’s career-defining moment in 2009, when rapper Kanye West interrupted her acceptance speech at the MTV Video Music Awards.
Despite the public embarrassment, the incident propelled Swift into superstardom.
“This is our Taylor Swift moment,” Weaver told the audience. “What was meant to knock her down actually pushed her to a level of success no one can touch. That’s exactly what is happening with Uncle Nearest right now.”
Reports indicated that Uncle Nearest, valued at over $1 billion, has been placed under receivership after a federal judge ruled in favor of its lender, Farm Credit Mid-America.
The move follows allegations of a default on $108 million in loans, raising questions about the future of the company and the leadership role of Fawn Weaver. According to court documents published by some media outlets, a receiver will take control of the business to stabilize operations and protect creditors’ interests.
Uncle Nearest, launched in 2017 and named after Nathan “Nearest” Green, the formerly enslaved man credited as the first known African American master distiller, has grown into the fastest-growing whiskey brand in U.S. history. Weaver has consistently positioned the brand as both a celebration of Black history and a disruptive force in the spirits industry.
Her remarks at Invest Fest underscore how Uncle Nearest is turning legal challenges into a catalyst for visibility, consumer loyalty, and sales momentum.
Weaver’s comments suggest the controversy may be strengthening the company’s market presence rather than weakening it.
