Interview with Victoria Butler, November 4, 2022

WELLS: Hello. My name is J. Wells. I'm an Assistant Professor of Writing, Rhetoric, and Digital Studies and an affiliate faculty member of African American and Africana Studies Program. Today is November 4, 2022. And it is my pleasure to interview Victoria Eady Butler as a part of the Black Women in Bourbon Oral History Project, which is funded by the United and True Racial Equity Research Initiative. Thank you so much for joining me today.

BUTLER: Well, thank you for having me. I'm honored.

WELLS: So you are the first Black, female whiskey blender--master--sorry, master whiskey blender and the great-great-granddaughter of Nathan Nearest Green. And now--

BUTLER: --hold up--

WELLS: --correct me.

BUTLER: We don't use Nathan.

WELLS: Just Nearest? Uncle Nearest?

BUTLER: Uncle Nearest or Nearest. Nathan was a slave name. So we don't ever use it.

WELLS: Thank you. Thank you for saying that. Or thank you for explaining that to me. Okay, so now after many, many years, Nearest Green, his name is publicly recognized, you can research him. But I want to hear the story from you. So tell me about his story the way your great-grandma or your grandma 00:01:00told it to you.

BUTLER: Well, oddly enough, the way she told it was very simple. My great--or my grandmother is Nearest Green's granddaughter and she always made sure that the family knew who her grandfather was. And her words were, "My grandfather taught Jack Daniel how to make whiskey." And she explained their relationship. They had this beautiful, unheard-of relationship of a young, white boy and an older Black man. When they met, Nearest was an enslaved man. So what they were able to accomplish during those years was unheard of. And so, just a beautiful friendship that they, that they had. One of mentor and mentee but 00:02:00certainly a beautiful relationship between a young white boy and a Black man.

WELLS: Um-hm. And so, when did she share this story with y'all? Did it happen when y'all were a certain age? Is it just something that you--is an earliest memory?

BUTLER: It just--I can--I can't even remember how old I was. It's just something that we've always grown up with, you know.

WELLS: And what did that mean to you when you were younger?

BUTLER: Not a whole lot, honestly. You know, the fact that he was a man that I never met. It didn't resonate really until I was older the significance of their relationship and that my great-great grandfather was also an enslaved man, you know. So until our CEO and founder Fawn Weaver came along, I didn't 00:03:00know much else about Nearest other than what my grandmother had shared, you know.

WELLS: Okay. So when you were younger then, would you say that you hadn't yet imagined yourself continuing this legacy?

BUTLER: Oh no. I never imagined it until 2019. Yeah.

WELLS: Okay. I want to take just a pause away from that and talk about what you imagined for yourself as you were younger. So, I read that you dreamed of being a lawyer?

BUTLER: I, I didn't really dream of being a lawyer. My grandmother--(laughs)--wanted me to be a lawyer. I talk a lot. I did as a young girl. I still do. And she wanted me to do something where I could use my communication skills. And I guess I'm a debater. I have this thing 00:04:00for having the last word, I guess. And so, she thought that law would be the perfect fit for me. But I knew in seventh grade that I wanted to go into law enforcement. And my dream job, actually, was to be a police commissioner. It didn't work out that way. But I did have a thirty-one, almost thirty-one-year career in law enforcement. And it was awesome. It, it really was. I retired just a few days shy of my thirty-first anniversary.

WELLS: That's amazing. So, I want to talk about how education was discussed in your household because you say your grandmother recognized your natural skills and talents and said, you know, "Here's this way that you can really use these in the future." So, how were you raised--what were you raised to think about, in terms of education or college or higher education?

BUTLER: I have an older sister. And, of course, she went to college. And so, my grandmother didn't really talk about college. I think that was kind of out of her realm. She was born in 1901. So college wasn't something she really talked about a lot. But other family members did and encouraged us, my generation, to further their--further our education. Being a Black person, and even today, education is the great equalizer. And so, we were encouraged to seek higher education. And so, most of us did, and still are, in my family.

WELLS: Who--where did you go to for like support or mentorship when you started that journey, journey to seeking higher education?

BUTLER: I have a couple of cousins who are educators and I've always looked up to them. And then, again, my older sister. She's six years older than me--is that right--five years older than me. And I've always looked up to her. She's still special. Even as adults, she's still a person that I look up to.

WELLS: So when you started college, what were you feeling or thinking? What was that experience like?

BUTLER: Oh, exciting, you know. I--when I decided to attend Middle Tennessee State University then it felt like it was a long ways from home when actually, it's about forty-seven miles, you know. But being away from my family 00:07:00for the first time, and being on my own, it was exciting. And I'm a lover of people so it was exciting to meet new people and get new relationships, you know. And nurture those relationships through the years. And college life was great.

WELLS: And you studied criminal justice?

BUTLER: I did.

WELLS: How did you feel--or did you feel like your identity as a black woman was represented in your course material? Whether that be in what you were reading, or your instructors, or your classmates?

BUTLER: I didn't have but one Black instructor in the field of criminal justice when I attended Middle Tennessee State University, but he was the head of the department. So he was very beneficial to me in guiding my career. He 00:08:00and I developed a really close relationship during my years at MTSU. He was really smart, and kind, and nurturing. So he was beneficial in, in helping me kind of navigate college life when I got to MTSU.

WELLS: What were some of the challenges he helped you navigate?

BUTLER: Being away from home. Oddly enough, just right down the highway. But I was there by myself. My family's extremely close. I can remember when we dropped my sister off at college, and she just went to college just about an hour away, maybe not quite that far, I cried so hard that I got sick. I didn't want her to go. And so, it, it, it was an adjustment being away from home. It didn't take long, you know. I met people--dorm mates, people in my classes, you 00:09:00know. So, it didn't take long to adjust. And then once I did, I didn't go home very often at all. But he was good with, you know, making me--encouraging me to stay on track. To learn to balance social life and my classwork. You can't just go to college and party like there's no tomorrow. So he kept me on track with that. And whenever I came across things that I needed guidance with in my classes, he was the person that I turned to.

WELLS: You said that you also built this network or community amongst your classmates and other--

BUTLER: --yeah--

WELLS: --people in the university. And I know family is really important to you. So, what from your family values were you looking for in these other people when you were building this community?

BUTLER: You know, I don't know that I was conscientiously looking but what I found was closeness, loyalty, laughter. Spent a lot of time talking about family. I met their families. Still after all these years, I'm very close to a lot of my classmates. Homecoming is like a class reunion, you know, or school reunion every year. I graduated MTSU in 1985 and I've only missed one homecoming all those years. And so, it's just a big deal, you know. We all get together and we've grown up together. Our families, and you know, we've been there for one another through, you know, marriages, and the birth of our children, and even through times of grief. Some of us have lost parents. And so, all of 00:11:00that. And they have become an extension of my blood family.

WELLS: When you--earlier, you said that what you imagined yourself to be or what you were aiming to be was a police commissioner, but that didn't happen. Tell me about the transition from that goal into what your law enforcement career was.

BUTLER: Well, when I started seeking my, my position in law enforcement, I was already married. Got married too young, in school, you know, and I had an opportunity to be a negotiator, police negotiator. I think I would have been excellent at it. I married a police officer, and he didn't want me out there. And so, he won. And I sought a different avenue to work in law 00:12:00enforcement, something that was safer and didn't necessarily have to be in a police uniform. I was fortunate enough to land a job with--in, in the federal system. So it worked out great for me. My job took me places that I never dreamed that I would go. I worked alongside police officers every single day and I worked with some really talented people there in my office. And they, too, some of them became, you know, an extension of my family. When you are on the job, you know, you're there forty-plus hours a week, you become close to people, you get to know their families as well. So it worked out great. I, I 00:13:00don't live with very many regrets. And I don't regret--looking back on it--that I didn't go into local law enforcement and work my way up. I had a beautiful career.

WELLS: What was your day-to-day role like in that position?

BUTLER: Well, I had a lot of positions while working there. But the majority of my tenure, I led and supervised a team of criminal and forensic analysts. And their job was to assist local, state, and federal law enforcement from the investigative stage all the way through to the courtroom. You know, we testified in court. We went out in the field. So it--day to day nothing was the 00:14:00same, you know. And I loved that. I loved that every day something different could come along.

WELLS: What would your grandmother say were the--your natural skills or talents that you used to succeed in those positions?

BUTLER: I think I'm good at leading people and being a good communicator, staying level-headed. She was very proud of me. And that meant a lot, you know. So I think that, in the end, she was okay with me not being an attorney but still using my communication skills and working in a field that helped to keep our community safe. I think we did some good work, there. I know we did.

WELLS: Tell me how you claimed your space in each of these different positions while you were in law enforcement.

BUTLER: Just working hard. I knew that I wanted to be a senior analyst. That was my mindset early on. And I achieved that. Just progressed through the years, working hard, being on time, those things that are necessary to advance. And just always going beyond what was asked. And finally landed in the position of management, you know. And held that position for about twenty-one years.

WELLS: What was--you said your goal was to be the senior analyst. What does that mean? Like explain--

BUTLER: The senior analyst?

WELLS: Yes.

BUTLER: It's--it wasn't labeled management. But intern--internally, 00:16:00for our office, it was. And so, just to lead the team, be the person when the manager was out, I was the front-line person. Assigning cases to the rest of team. Having the opportunity to attend more conferences. Those types of things.

WELLS: Did you experience micro-aggressions as you were climbing the ladder in this male-dominated field?

BUTLER: No, not really. Oddly enough, our office was predominately female. So, I didn't have to navigate a lot of negative space because of my gender. 00:17:00Now, ninety-nine point nine percent of the people that I interacted with, all the police officers, most of them were male. But they treated me well. I'm a pretty tough girl. And I talk loud. I am very, not forceful, but determined. And I think that is helpful when dealing with, with the opposite sex when it's predominately a male environment. I think those characteristics play well for a female. Not being easily shaken. But, the thing is, you have to know your stuff. You can't just fake it. You got to know who you are, you got to know your job, and you have to have a good delivery. And I think I did all of that.

WELLS: How did you get to know job?

BUTLER: Study. Study. Trying to absorb all the knowledge that I could. As I supervised that team, I still wanted to know more. And if they couldn't handle a case, I needed to be able to do that. So I had to stay on top of my game and, to do that, you have to study. You have to continue to be hungry for knowledge.

WELLS: What do you feel from your law enforcement career has carried over into your work as a master blender?

BUTLER: Probably the primary thing is the attention to detail. It was very important then because the majority of the time, we were deciding whether someone was going to go to jail, prison, or, or be set free. And so, 00:19:00the attention to detail was extremely important.

WELLS: What from your law enforcement career did you feel carried over to your work as a master blender?

BUTLER: The primary thing is the attention to detail. It was very important then. It still is now. During my law enforcement days, most of the time, we were deciding whether someone would be sent to prison or be set free. And so, the attention to detail was extremely important, you know. You had to make sure that every "i" was dotted, every "t" crossed. And the same thing is true in regards to me blending whiskey. In order to maintain the consistency of being premium, I have to make sure that everything lines up correctly and every drop of whiskey that we put in the bottle is premium.

WELLS: Can you say more about what's at stake now if that attention to detail is not there?

BUTLER: What's at stake--

WELLS: --yeah--

BUTLER: --is our brand. While we have this beautiful story behind our brand. The fact that we are honoring the man that most folks didn't know about for more than 160-plus years, the first African American master distiller. Our whiskey is important as well. Because without the whiskey, we are a story, true enough, but we're not this global brand that will touch, you know, countless people.

WELLS: Before you became the brand's master blender, how often did you drink whiskey?

BUTLER: Often.

WELLS: Often?

BUTLER: My go-to, though, was beer. But I did enjoy a good glass of whiskey prior to, prior to Uncle Nearest.

WELLS: What's your earliest memory of whiskey?

BUTLER: Oh my goodness. I was slow out the gate, so I was in college. I didn't do like some folks and sneak it in high school. My grandmother and mother, both teetotalers. They do not--neither ever drank. And so, I didn't. It was college. And then, of course, it wasn't the good stuff.

WELLS: I was going to ask--(laughs)--was it a good experience?

BUTLER: No, it wasn't. Looking back on it now, after you know better, you do better. I wasn't drinking good.

WELLS: All right, I'm going to--now I'm going to ask you to tell me another story--

BUTLER: --okay--

WELLS: --from your perspective. So, I read that it was when Fawn watched you do your first tasting with the small-batch whiskey that was created by Nearest Green's descendants that she said quote "We all got the sense that we 00:22:00were witnessing something special. I told her, 'whiskey's in your blood'," end quote. And that's when she knew she wanted you to be the master blender. So tell me what made you say yes.

BUTLER: Oh, the same reason that I said yes to joining the team. I could not pass up the opportunity to be a part of continuing and cementing my great-great-grandfather's legacy. And something that day was so moving. I did not know until then that I had a passion for whiskey. But being in that first blending session, I was quite nervous going into it. Hadn't done anything like that before. Never even thought about doing something like that 00:23:00before. And just something changed that day, you know. And now I can't imagine doing anything else.

WELLS: Take me back to that tasting. Do you remember what you--what flavors you tasted or smelled that make it click to you that this is a passion?

BUTLER: It wasn't just the taste and smell, it was the entire experience. Feeling the whiskey and, you know, holding the glasses, and being the one to have the final say, in regards to, what was gonna go in the bottle. It was everything. And then, I have this brilliant woman cheering me on. It was just--it was life-changing for me.

WELLS: Tell me about that attention to detail. So when you were--you knew, I get to make this final decision. What was it that you were looking for or 00:24:00aiming to create?

BUTLER: Well, before I blended that first batch, Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey was just that. We were already a premium product. And so, I wanted to ensure that what I did was premium as well. Although it was a small batch, our whiskey family, the consumers were accustomed to a premium product. So I had to make sure that what I delivered met the bar for that. And the other thing was to finish. I went in to that first blending session thinking that the finish had to be good. I, I had tasted countless whiskeys that, what turned me off was the finish, the, the harsh burn, and I didn't want that. I needed--wanted 00:25:00to have a smooth, kind of gradual finish. And I think I accomplished that. Those were the things that I was, I was looking for.

WELLS: And you mentioned that you--before that--you hadn't thought about doing something like that before. So how did you prepare?

BUTLER: When I joined the team, I started studying, and trying to absorb all of the knowledge I could in regards to the spirits industry. And that was basically just so I could hold an intelligent conversation with people that I was going to be working with, other people in the field. And taking sensory tests and just trying to learn about this new chapter that I was about to embark on. 00:26:00And so those were really the preparations. I didn't prepare to blend whiskey. That was a whole different arena. And I actually didn't. The day I went in there, I didn't make any other preparations, really. It's kind of crazy, you know, that I had lived all those years not knowing that this was my passion. And the yes to Fawn Weaver opened up something I, I never knew. And so there, there is a power in saying, yes. And so, I encourage people all the time, you know, so you haven't done it before, big deal, you know. And then realizing too that Fawn had no experience in whiskey at all before embarking upon this brand. 00:27:00So not cocky but a little confident thinking, "Well, if she can do it, I can, too."

WELLS: So you said yes and then what were your next steps to developing your palette?

BUTLER: Going to classes. You know, I became a certified bourbon steward. I continued to talk to others that had, you know, countless years of experience. Just trying to absorb all I could, knowledge, once again. Education is really what drives me to be a better master blender. The fact that I am doing something, or I am a part of something that is so much greater than me being a master blender, it drives me to want to be the best.

WELLS: As someone who has continuously studied and sought out learning opportunities, what is something that stood out to you about the 00:28:00teaching approach in some of those classes?

BUTLER: I've gone to several classes at--in, in Louisville, Kentucky. I think they do a fantastic job. One of the things I like about their classes is they're not huge. So you get a lot of one-on-one attention. When you--or I have found for me--in a large setting, sometimes people are kind of hesitant to ask questions. Those questions, most of the time, not all of the time, not only benefit the person asking but the whole class as a whole. And so, having smaller classes is great. And that's what I've been a part of.

WELLS: You mentioned that it is interesting to you that it took so long--or it took until this tasting, a long time after you had been 00:29:00drinking whiskey, to realize you had this passion. When did it click for you that you were continuing Nearest Green's legacy?

BUTLER: Oh, I knew that right away. Even before the blending. Now granted, I had played in with alcohol, with whiskey, for years in cocktails, you know, experimenting and things like that. So I knew that I loved that. I didn't know that blending would ever be in my future. You know, that's not something I, you know, considered. But, you know, my, my family and friends have been or were my guinea pigs for years in regards to making cocktails and experimenting with flavors.

WELLS: Okay. So you said yes. And then you become the first black woman, master blender. So then, how did you go about developing this award, award-winning flavor profile?

BUTLER: It wasn't really a conscientious thing, knowing that I wanted the whiskey to continue to be a premium product, making sure that the finish was nice. I start out with a beautiful whiskey, so the blending is not, is not something that is really difficult. We have good juice from the, from the start, you know. And so, in regards to blending, especially with a small batch whiskey is what I started out with, I didn't have to be consistent. That is not a mandatory thing under the law. But my palate has this natural draw for a sweetness. And so, our small batch continues to be consistent, kind 00:31:00of effortlessly, now.

WELLS: I've heard you say before that your palate-protecting process is: no spitting whiskey out, no water, no drinking any other whiskey. So talk to me about how you came to develop that process.

BUTLER: Well, my thought process going into the very first session was, again, that it have a good finish, right? And if you spit it out, how would you know what the finish is going to be? So it was kind of common sense. Although I understand--I understood later that that wasn't the natural or proper way of blending whiskey for the majority of blenders in the industry. But it just made sense to me. And so, we don't put a lot of water in our whiskey any--anyway and so, I didn't want to water down my palate by drinking water in between each samples. I sample at barrel proof, cask strength, so I didn't want to 00:32:00tamper with the whiskey. And so, I just decided that that's not something I would do. And far as eating, I just didn't want anything to interrupt a fresh palate or disturb a fresh palate. I did it the first time and came out with an award-winning whiskey. And so I just continued to carry that same thing today.

WELLS: What are some other things that you feel you do differently in your process than other blenders?

BUTLER: I don't know how all of them do it. But from what I understand, from talking to people is again, doing my sampling and blending at cask strength and then reducing it down. Not eating, drinking. No water in between 00:33:00and not spitting the product out. All of that is different from what others do, from what I understand.

WELLS: Are there other things that you learned along the way that you may have not known ahead of time would interrupt or disturb the flavor or the palate? So, you mentioned you don't want to eat. I know smells. like, don't wear perfumes. Are the other things, that you realized later, that interrupt that process?

BUTLER: Well, even lotion. I just don't put any lotion on my hands. I don't wear perfume when I'm blending whiskey. Just anything that would disturb a clean palate--your nose, your mouth, all of it. So I'm a basic woman on those days.

WELLS: What were some of your initial views of the whiskey industry when you went from consumer to contributor?

BUTLER: There's a whole lot that goes into making whiskey that I did not know, you know. Even from, you know, from the--picking the right grains and the way that the recipe comes together, the process itself, I didn't know a lot about any of that. In order to get from A to Z, there's a whole lot in between there. And the general public, you know, typically is not exposed to that, so you don't know.

WELLS: Talk to me about the networking side of the industry. So you are a people person.

BUTLER: I am.

WELLS: So what was it like working with or getting to know people in the whiskey industry?

BUTLER: Well, first, of course, it was, it was our team. I met some of the team even before I became a part of it. That too was another factor in me 00:35:00saying, yes, you know. Being a part of this, this awesome team that Fawn Weaver had put together who are now family. I wanted to be a part of that, right? So, kind of like law enforcement, the industry, the spirits industry is kind of like a big sorority or fraternity. Although we are an independent brand, we, meaning Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, we don't really look at ourselves as competing with others. We kind of do our own thing and do it well. So we embrace other brands, far as the people, you know. And we've made some really good friends and partnerships along the way.

WELLS: What are some things that you've witnessed has changed from when you first joined the industry until now?

BUTLER: The-more involvement with females. The positioning of females is now looked at little bit different. Not a little bit, a lot. Females being put in positions of visibility and power. That has increased. I won't say that we are the cause of that, but certainly that has been a shift, there's been a movement since Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey came on, came on the scene.

WELLS: What has been challenging, if anything, being one of these Black women in the industry?

BUTLER: Oddly enough, I haven't had any challenges being a Black female in the industry. And I credit that to Fawn Weaver. She knocked down countless barriers when building this team, when launching this brand. And so, I've kind 00:37:00of just had to walk through because of the work that she had already put in.

WELLS: Outside of the leadership team here, are there any women in the industry that you have seen as like peer mentors or have developed mentor relationships with?

BUTLER: I wouldn't say a mentorship, but I do have other Black females that I am, I am close to. We don't do the same thing, but we certainly have a great relationship.

WELLS: What do you feel like needs to still be done so there's more black women in the industry?

BUTLER: Oh--(laughs)--you know, there's still work to be done, you know. The spirits industry is just another facet of society, right? And we all know that Black people still have a ways to go in regards to the playing field being equal. And the same rings true in the spirits industry. And so, one 00:38:00of the things the Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey team has done is--and along with the Brown-Forman team with Jack Daniel is launch a, a--what is the word I'm looking for--an initiative to help turn that in the right direction.

WELLS: What do you suggest other Black women read, or watch, or listen to, to help them prepare to help them join the industry?

BUTLER: You have to get involved, too, you know. I, I think anyone who, who is seeking to be a part of the spirits industry--oftentimes, fear keeps us from change. Us, meaning Black women. People in general, really. So I 00:39:00think you have to set aside fear and be totally dedicated to a change. Learn all you can, study all you can, reach into people who have been in the spirits industry, and become completely dedicated to being a part of that. You know, you can't have one foot in and one foot out. If you want to do it, you'll have to jump in full force and be totally dedicated to it.

WELLS: Other than master blender, are there other roles that you serve with Nearest?

BUTLER: I do. I do. When I first joined the team, it was in an administrative role. Before our brand launched in 2017, our CEO, Fawn Weaver, was already really embedded in our family, in the Green family. And one of the things that she felt the need to do was establish the Nearest Green Foundation. 00:40:00And that foundation was put into place to support Nearest Green's college-age descendants moving forward. And the foundation pays for full tuition, books, any fees that relate to the college course. And I was, and still am, the director of administration over the Nearest Green Foundation. And I love it. I do. It gives me the opportunity to have one-on-one conversation and interaction with my younger cousins, some of whom I had never met prior to this brand launching. So it brought me closer to family. And it gives me a sense of pride to be able to kind of guide them as being a--an older cousin. So yeah, I am the 00:41:00Director of Administration of the Nearest Green Foundation.

WELLS: That's amazing. Everything nowadays is data driven. So can you talk to me about how your previous work with data analytics feeds into this administrative role?

BUTLER: Not a lot, really. For the Green Foundation, for the Nearest Green Foundation, it is blood, family only. The requirement to maintain that scholarship is that, you know, the student has to maintain a 3.0. And we ask that when they reach that level of, I guess, secureness in their career, that they reach back. We are really big with pulling as we climb. And we 00:42:00ask them to do the same.

WELLS: What are some of the ways that you talk about education with your cousins that may have been different or same as the way it was talked about with you?

BUTLER: I share with them about my career, my previous career. And, you know, had I not had a degree; I would've never landed that job. Had I not had a degree, I would've never been put in place of management. So, you know, I share with them all the time how important it is to continue their education, to maintain a 3.0-plus, to be--to have a balanced life. Just like my mentor did when I was at MTSU all those years ago. College was one of the best 00:43:00times of my life. I want them to have that same experience. So it's important that they stay on track with their studies but also foster good relationships while they're in school.

WELLS: Talk to me about your approach with--because you speak to a lot of people in you various roles--so what's your approach to just communicating with your cousins, you know, building this family relationship. But also being their mentor and guiding them in their education.

BUTLER: I'm just me. I don't put on any airs. I have been fortunate to travel the world. I'm doing more so now with Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey. I share my experiences with them. But not as someone who is puffed up and arrogant. I'm just Victoria, you know. I share with them what that can bring to 00:44:00their lives. Those experiences that will mold them moving forward. Relationships are so important. And some of my life-long friends, I met during my college years. And so, if you don't maintain your grades, you won't stay in school. They don't let you just hang out at these colleges for the hell of it. So. And we certainly don't pay for Cs here at Nearest Green Foundation. So, you've got to be a good student. But I want you to have a good time. And I want them to foster those friendships that will carry them the rest of their days.

WELLS: You used the phrase earlier, "pull as you climb." Tell me the meaning of that. Where did that phrase come from?

BUTLER: I don't know where it generated from. I don't know who first said it. But I know that it's important to us. And it's not just a hashtag. We 00:45:00really mean it. And that was why one of the prongs of that initiative was birthed. We are good stewards of what we have been blessed with. Things don't happen by happenstance. We work hard, really hard. But I do think that we are called sometimes to things that we didn't see coming. Things that we didn't plan for that work out for our good. And me being in a position as the first African American female master blender, I would be less than appreciative if I did not help someone else along the way. And so, while I am the first, I sincerely hope that I'm not the last. And so, it is important to us, the team at 00:46:00Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, especially Fawn, who leads the way of everything that we do. And so, we try to be good examples of all things that we have been awarded. And to share those things and encourage others to help them meet those same benchmarks.

WELLS: As someone whose family legacy has been preserved this storytelling and just oral history, can you speak to the significance of storytelling?

BUTLER: Oh, it's--I can't even put a number on it. Had my grandmother 00:47:00not shared with us, I wouldn't have known anything about Nearest, right. Had Fawn not been intrigued by reading a newspaper article. Coming to Lynchburg. Putting in the research to learn about this once-enslaved man, I wouldn't be sitting before you today. Preserving our history is countless. And so, sharing--every time I have an opportunity to share my story, share Nearest's story, it just furthers his legacy. So it's--you can't put a price tag on that. Can't put a price tag on that.

WELLS: What are some of the differences you noticed within your family when the story became so publicized?

BUTLER: A sense of pride. Of course, we've always known. But that 00:48:00sense of pride of knowing others now know, too. And even knowing more about this man who made history, whose blood runs through our veins. We share this lineage that cannot be broken. There is a sense of pride. And for me, being the one to really carry on the legacy. To work in the same vein that he did is just priceless. It really is.

WELLS: Do you know of any cousins right now that are also interest in--

BUTLER: Yeah. Yeah, I do. But this is the thing. That foundation that I talked about earlier that Fawn bought in place. We will pay for college for as long as, as far as, the student desires to go, right. PhD. Law degree. Medical 00:49:00degrees. So they are interested in other things (laughs). And some may be like me. Not even realizing that they have this passion for it because they haven't had any involvement. But yeah, there are a few cousins who are interested now who are very knowledgeable about the spirits industry who are interested in continuing in the same vein.

WELLS: I know that through the scholarship they get to choose whatever university or program they want to go to. Are there, like events or activities set up for them to gather all of the scholarship recipient to gather at some point in the year or every couple of years?

BUTLER: Yes. So that is something that we do with them. In fact, we 00:50:00had a full family reunion Juneteenth of last year. Well, actually it was the 17th of last year. And so, yeah, it is important for them to--for the scholarship recipients to come together to feed off each other. And they communicate with one another. After all, they are family.

WELLS: And other than the scholarship, what other resources--other than tuition, sorry, what other resources does the scholarship supplement the descendants with?

BUTLER: I mean it pays for everything while they're in school. It's a full ride scholarship: books, lab fees, all those things that are related to those courses. 
WELLS: That's amazing.

BUTLER: Yeah, it is. It is.

WELLS: Is there anything else that I haven't asked you about that you feel is important to talk about?

BUTLER: No, I don't think so. I appreciate that you did ask about the Foundation. Sometimes that is left off. But that is an important 00:51:00piece of who we are. We truly are more than whiskey. We really are. So even during the height of the pandemic when things were just crazy, you know, all across the country, this building that we're sitting in was turned into a shipping hub. And we started sending out PPE to first responders all across the country. When things were falling apart, Fawn felt the need to fill the gap where we could. And we spent thousands and thousands, hundreds of thousands of dollars on PPE. But it was money well spent. Because those were the people who were trying very hard to keep us safe. And so, she felt that was the least that she could do. And our company could do. In order to be who we are, 00:52:00you have to have strong leadership. We are very fortunate that the person leading the way for us, our CEO and founder, is not just a brilliant businesswoman, but she has a heart for people. And so, our brand reflects that. And so, we adopted that hashtag, "More than whiskey." You know, it just goes beyond letters on a page. We really are more than whiskey. I'm proud of that, you know.

WELLS: Awesome. Thank you so much.

BUTLER: Thank you. Thank you.

[End of interview.]