TWiB: Uncle Nearest May Have A Buyer, Saga Spirits lawsuits become public, Four Roses Distillery introduces Anthology

Four Roses has launched its most ambitious project yet: Anthology, a limited annual series spotlighting rare chapters of its 138-year history, beginning with a 21-year-old bourbon—the oldest ever released by the brand. This ultra-premium release, available in just 1,200 bottles at the Four Roses Visitor Center and a Whiskey Row pop-up, marks a bold pivot from the brand’s traditionally understated identity. Meanwhile, Uncle Nearest may finally have a buyer: a Black-owned investment firm with a non-binding letter of intent to acquire all assets, including the Nearest Green Distillery, with plans to retain the workforce and honor the brand’s legacy. The move offers a glimmer of hope after years of turmoil, though the federal case involving founder Fawn Weaver remains unresolved. On the legal front, Saga Spirits faces two new lawsuits totaling over $1.5 million, tied to a failed distillery project at the Kentucky Castle. Despite the chaos, the bourbon world continues to innovate—New Riff releases two 10-year-old whiskeys, Michter’s debuts a new single barrel rye, and Wild Turkey honors master distiller Eddie Russell’s 45-year career with a documentary and a special 13-year-old bourbon. Even the RTD market heats up with Penelope’s new Blackberry Old Fashioned. The industry is a mix of redemption, reckoning, and relentless creativity.