Young appointed Uncle Nearest receiver
5:17 p.m. Aug. 22, 2025
DUANE CROSS
MCO Publisher•Editor
A federal judge has appointed a receiver to take control of Uncle Nearest, Inc. and its related entities amid ongoing litigation with Farm Credit Mid-America.
In an order filed Friday, Aug. 22, U.S. District Judge Charles E. Atchley Jr. named Phillip G. Young Jr., a Tennessee attorney with extensive restructuring and bankruptcy experience, as receiver. Young will oversee all assets of Uncle Nearest, including the Nearest Green Distillery in Shelbyville, real estate holdings, intellectual property, affiliated ventures, and related entities.
The ruling grants Young broad authority to manage, preserve, and, if necessary, sell company assets. He will also assume control of financial accounts, contracts, and litigation matters tied to Uncle Nearest. Judge Atchley emphasized that the appointment was in the best interest of the estate and its stakeholders, citing Young’s proximity to the company’s operations and his willingness to collaborate with founders Fawn and Keith Weaver to protect the brand.
Under the order, the Weavers may continue marketing Uncle Nearest products and managing the brand, but operations will be subject to the receiver’s supervision. Uncle Nearest and its officers are directed to immediately turn over company records, contracts, and financial information.
The receivership bars the company and its affiliates from selling or transferring assets without written consent from the receiver. All creditors, vendors, and third parties are also prohibited from interfering with Young’s management of the estate.
The receiver is required to file quarterly reports with the court beginning Oct. 1, 2025, detailing Uncle Nearest’s financial and operational status. The order remains in effect until further notice, with Judge Atchley retaining exclusive jurisdiction over the case.
The dispute stems from a lawsuit filed earlier this year by Farm Credit Mid-America, which sought the appointment of a receiver to protect its financial interests in the Tennessee-based whiskey maker.
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