Acquisition includes full inventory of Nelson’s Green Brier Tennessee Whiskey and Nelson Brothers Bourbon, along with distillery lease
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Brothers Andy and Charlie Nelson are now back at the helm of Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery (NGBD), purchasing full ownership, inventory and management back from Constellation Brands, Inc. The purchase includes all product inventory, as well as taking over the lease agreement of the 50,000 square-foot distillery, event space and production facility at 1414 Clinton St., making Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery once again a locally owned and operated family business.
“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,” said Andy Nelson, co-founder of Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery. “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.”
Charles Nelson first established the original Green Brier Distillery in 1870, becoming one of the most successful distilleries in the country as Tennessee’s largest pre-Prohibition distillery and producer of the original Tennessee Whiskey. In 1909, Prohibition became law in Tennessee, and the distillery was forced to close. Nearly 100 years later, Charles’ great-great-great grandsons, Andy and Charlie Nelson, discovered this family history, rebuilt the distillery and began producing Nelson’s Green Brier Tennessee Whiskey using the original pre-Prohibition recipe.
Constellation Brands purchased a minority stake in the business in 2016 and took on full ownership in 2024. At that stage Andy and Charlie Nelson left the brand, purchasing the rights to previous NGBD portfolio brands Belle Meade Bourbon and Louisa’s Liqueur under their new umbrella company Belle Meade Spirits.
Charlie Nelson, co-founder of Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery, echoed his brother’s excitement for the next chapter in the brand’s storied past, adding, “In a city where we continue to see more and more outside companies choose Nashville as part of their expansion plans, it’s so fun to be able to have this opportunity to once again operate Green Brier as a locally owned family business. This city has given so much to us, and we see this as an opportunity to give back by continuing to invest in the community we call home.”
While today’s sale marks a new era for the distillery, operations will remain business as usual with all existing staff retained and the restaurant, bar, tours and events proceeding as normal. The Nelson family is committed to the brand’s long-term stability and growth in the years ahead.
Images courtesy of Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery
About Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery
In 2006, Andy and Charlie Nelson stumbled upon the discovery that their great-great-great grandfather, Charles Nelson, was the founder of Tennessee’s largest pre-Prohibition distillery and produced the original Tennessee Whiskey. The distillery’s history dates back to 1860 and in 2019, Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery bottled the first batch of Green Brier Tennessee Whiskey since 1909. The modern-day distillery, located at 1414 Clinton St. Nashville, TN 37203, is open to the public seven days a week and offers guided tasting experiences as well as an event space and gift and bottle shop. Learn more at https://greenbrierdistillery.com and @nelsonsgreenbrier on Instagram and Facebook.
