159-year-old whiskey brand files disputed Chapter 11 bankruptcy

When a company gets put into a receivership, that’s usually a last-ditch effort to save the brand.

“The receiver’s job is to literally operate the business,” said John Mark Jennings, a partner in the law firm of Shulman Hodges & Bastian LLP to Smart Business. “A receivership is an action brought against your company because it is being operated to the detriment of shareholders or creditors.”

In the case of Uncle Nearest, one of the fastest-growing independent American whiskey brands in recent years and a legendary liquor brand that traces its roots back 159 years, the founder of the company and its largest shareholder, Fawn Weaver, believes that the company should not be controlled by receiver Phillip G. Young Jr.

Weaver has filed a lawsuit and for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the brand, which she currently does not control.

The founders, CEO, and largest shareholder of Uncle Nearest have filed a lawsuit against Farm Credit Mid-America in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, alleging the lender engaged in a smear campaign against the fast-growing whiskey brand by knowingly circulating false accusations, including claims of missing inventory, financial misconduct, negative cash flow, and insolvency, the company shared in a press release.

“The accusations circulated about us were not only false. The bank knew they were false when they made them, and they knew those accusations would strike directly at the credibility that allowed this brand to grow against all odds in this industry,” said Uncle Nearest CEO Fawn Weaver.

Weaver said the company filed for Chapter 11 protection earlier today, bringing the court-appointed receivership to an end. That will lead to a number of things:

• Through the Chapter 11 proceeding and related litigation, Uncle Nearest, Inc. will pursue claims and counterclaims against its lender arising from the administration of the credit facility.

• The filing allows the company to protect the interests of all creditors and shareholders, continue normal operations, and address claims and counterclaims related to the secured lending relationship in the proper forum.

• Court filings associated with the Chapter 11 proceeding reflect approximately $13,188,927 in unsecured obligations.

• The loan at issue with Farm Credit reflects a stated principal balance of approximately $102,521,326, which the company disputes and will address through claims and counterclaims against the lender.

• These liabilities stand against enterprise assets estimated at approximately $529 million.

“Weaver announced the news on Instagram, saying that the Uncle Nearest receivership ‘is done,’ but it is unclear what immediate impact the filings will have,” according to the Lexington Herald Leader.

The Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing is a legal step to regain control, but it does not place Weaver back in charge of the brand.

“Previous court orders gave the receiver the power to declare bankruptcy so it isn’t clear if Weaver or her business could do so without the approval of the receiver or the judge in that case,” the paper reported.

As the receiver, Young had been working to fix the brand’s finances.

“Uncle Nearest Inc. is preparing to sell off non-core assets, including French vineyards, a Cognac château, and other real estate, as part of efforts to stabilize the Shelbyville whiskey company under court-appointed receivership,” the Moore County Observer reported.

Young had said that a liquidation or Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing was possible.

• Tennessee whiskey brand Uncle Nearest was placed into court-ordered receivership in August 2025 after a lawsuit from lender Farm Credit Mid-America alleging the company defaulted on roughly $108 million in loans and lines of credit, according to Forbes.

• A federal judge appointed a receiver to oversee the company and manage its assets while the lender attempts to recover the debt. The move temporarily removed control from founders Fawn and Keith Weaver, reported Axios.

• The lawsuit claims the whiskey company violated loan terms and failed to maintain required financial conditions while carrying more than $100 million in liabilities, according to Forbes.

• Court filings also alleged the company overstated the value of whiskey inventory used as collateral and failed to maintain required cash balances under the loan agreement, Forbes added.

• The court-appointed receiver has explored selling non-core assets—including vineyards, real estate, and other alcohol brands—to raise cash and stabilize the company, according to TheStreet.

• Despite the financial dispute, the company has continued operating while the legal process unfolds, with investors and lenders negotiating potential restructuring options, added TheStreet.

Young was quick to respond to Weaver’s legal maneuvering.

He called for judicial sanctions against her and is moving to block the petition.

“Late March 17, receiver Phillip Young filed an expedited motion for sanctions against Weaver and/or her counsel for Weaver’s ‘wanton and willful violation of this Court’s order appointing the receiver.’ Under that order, only the receiver has the legal authority to take actions on behalf of the company,” according to the Lexington Herald Leader.

Weaver’s actions, the receiver shared in court filings, were not legal, he claims.

“Despite the clear orders of this Court that the Receiver, and only the Receiver, could act on behalf of the receivership entities, on March 17, 2026, Defendant Fawn Weaver signed and filed bankruptcy petitions on behalf of Uncle Nearest, Inc., Nearest Green Distillery Inc., and Uncle Nearest Real Estate Holdings, LLC in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, Knoxville Division,” the receiver said in the filing, which can be found on PacerMonitor.

When a company already in receivership files Chapter 11, the situation usually does not get simpler. It gets bigger, shared an MC Observer piece analyzing the Uncle Nearest legal situation.

“The fight often shifts from receivership court to bankruptcy court. The automatic stay usually takes effect. The receiver’s role changes. Management may try to stay in control. Creditors may challenge that immediately. And the first questions are rarely abstract. They are immediate and practical: who is in charge, where the cash is, whether operations can continue, and whether the filing was authorized in the first place,” the website shared.

Young is taking steps to have the Chapter 11 filing dismissed.

“Young and his counsel are now taking steps with the bankruptcy court to dismiss the bankruptcies, and have asked US district judge Charles E Atchley Jr to issue financial sanctions against Weaver and/or her lawyer,” Spirit Business reported.

Young said he has considered and is likely to file for bankruptcy protection for Uncle Nearest, but that yesterday’s filings were “premature and ill-conceived.”

“These actions require immediate and severe sanctions by this court — not only because they are intentional and knowing violations of this court’s orders, but because they have caused significant and irreparable damage to the companies that the receiver has been ordered to protect,” he shared in the court documents.

Related: 51-year-old regional fast-food favorite files Chapter 11

This story was originally published by TheStreet on Mar 18, 2026, where it first appeared in the Retail section. Add TheStreet as a Preferred Source by clicking here.