Whiskey Wednesday: Nelson’s Green Brier; ROW 94 Has Some Huge News

I have not hidden my feelings about wanting Andy and Charlie Nelson to regain control over their family’s legacy distillery, Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery, since they sold the operation and brands to international spirits conglomerate Constellation Brands Inc. in 2024. I celebrated their work on Belle Meade Bourbon as a welcome revival in Best of Nashville, noting that their former home was missing a certain je ne sais quoi without them. I wrote: “Even though Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery is still a pretty cool space for a tour or to see a musical act, it is pretty much devoid of any actual Nelson brothers.” 

I hoped that the BON recognitions would remind folks of their progress regaining access to their original Belle Meade Bourbon and Louisa's Coffee Caramel Pecan Liqueur on the way to reacquiring the entire company. Sure enough, and certainly no thanks to my efforts, the Nelsons announced this week that they have officially purchased Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery back from Constellation Brands, bringing the distillery once again under the control and operation of the family!

As of Nov. 10, the Nelsons again control the full ownership, inventory and management of their company. The purchase includes all product inventory, as well as taking over the lease of the 50,000-square-foot distillery, event space and production facility at 1414 Clinton St. 

“This has been our family business dating back to the 1800s, so to have the opportunity to once again have full ownership of the brand and its storied history is extraordinarily meaningful to us,” Andy Nelson says in the official announcement of the transaction. “There will certainly be a transition period where we determine next steps for the brand, our portfolio of products and the distillery itself, but our intention is to get us back to our roots of honoring our rich family heritage as quickly as possible by producing premium spirits right here in our own hometown that reflect the craftsmanship, history and passion of the original distillery our great-great-great grandfather started.”

The transaction freed the Nelsons to officially return to the facility for the first time in years, and operations will remain business as usual with all existing staff retained and the restaurant, bar, tours and events proceeding as always. Perhaps most importantly, the Nelsons have regained ownership of their family history, which has always been an important part of the gestalt and branding of their products. The stories remained behind at Clinton Street when the brothers left the business, and it always felt wrong for them to be out selling Belle Meade Bourbon without the ability to completely share why it meant so much to them. To me, that’s the most important thing they bought back.

Congratulations to all involved!

In other important local whiskey news, country music superstar Dierks Bentley announced some major developments with his ROW 94 whiskey brand. I’ve written favorably about ROW 94 in the past, noting that among the country music celebrity whiskeys on the market, it’s my favorite for several reasons. The whiskey is distilled in Green River Distilling in Owensboro, Ky., where the team crafted a bourbon that tastes smoother and more mature than its age statement of four years. Bottled at 94 proof, it’s great for sipping or as the star of a whiskey cocktail. I also appreciate that Bentley has priced it at only a small premium above Green River’s similar products, avoiding the celebrity price premium that other brands impose.

Bentley has joined several other spirits brands, some led by country star names, in opening a downtown tasting room. Visitors can already sample spirits at Nashville Barrel Co., The Borchetta Bourbon Experience, Southern Collective, Ole Smoky Distillery and Standard Proof Whiskey Co. without leaving the urban core, and now they have a new option.

ROW 94 has taken over the old Sidebar space at Bode Nashville, a fun, quirky hotel at 401 President Ronald Reagan Way on the outskirts of SoBro. (By the way, that’s just Second Avenue North if you were unaware that the state legislature got snippy and fired back after the Metro Council renamed part of Fifth Avenue John Lewis Way back in 2020. I feel so owned.)

Anyway, the ROW 94 tasting room is open Thursday through Sunday from 4 to 10 p.m. offering pours of Bentley’s flagship ROW 94 bourbon, plus a full proof edition and a special 100-proof Broken Branches limited bottling that finishes the whiskey with fire-toasted Oak staves inside the barrels. Guests can also order a flight of all three expressions and possibly relive one of Bentley’s biggest hits, “Drunk on a Plane.” 

The tasting room also features cocktails and immersive experiences like a Dierks Bentley hologram installation; archival photography from Green River Distilling Co. and authentic tour memorabilia, including gear from Bentley’s past tours and autographed guitars. Of course, ROW 94 swag is also available for purchase at the tasting room.

The last bit of fun Dierks news was announced at a recent performance of the Grand Ole Opry, where they were celebrating the second annual “Dierks Day.” When he was an up-and-coming bluegrass and country music performer in Nashville, Bentley was famous for sneaking in and getting kicked out of venues all over town by sliding in the stage doors instead of coming in the front door. (Y’know, where the cover charges are.) 

In honor of his past minor miscreancy, Bentley and Green River have created a new edition of ROW 94 that they are calling Trespasser’s Proof. This very limited run is only four special barrels, which have been selected for their potential to be extraordinary. Made from the same recipe as the original ROW 94, these barrels have been blessed with extra finishing from staves inserted in the whiskey while it ages. These wooden staves are made from the same species of trees that were used to create the iconic stage at the Ryman Auditorium, including the holy circle of wood that made the move from the original stage to the new Opry House in 1974, and which were famously rescued by Opry management during the epic deluge of 2010 and whisked away to higher ground when the Opry House flooded.

The four barrels with the staves made from hard white oak and sugar maple are currently laying in repose in undisclosed locations inside the Grand Ole Opry House, and only a handful of people even know where they are hiding while they soak up the vibrations of the legendary performers on the stage. Hopefully, sometime next year, Lofted Spirits VP of operations Justin Willett will decide that the barrels are ready to dump and will determine the best final proof for bottling.

The hope is for a release next year in selected retailers and bars at a price around $100. That doesn’t feel like too much to pay for a sip of history.