Minden Mill Distilling announces the release of its Minden Mill American Single Malt Whiskey as American Single Malt is established as an official and distinct U.S. spirits category. Crafted from only local ingredients at its state-of-the-art distillery nestled along the Sierra Nevada mountain range in Nevada’s high desert, Minden Mill American Single Malt is a reflection of this unique terroir and the whiskey making skill of Master Distiller Joe O’Sullivan.
As a member of the Estate Whiskey Alliance and a holder of a Nevada estate distillery license, Minden Mill produces “ground-to-glass” whiskeys. Minden Mill American Single Malt is made from 100% estate-grown barley, malted on site. The grain is mashed with M1 yeast, and the water is sourced from Minden Mill’s onsite well, just 50 steps from the distillery’s front door, which is fed by snowpack from the Sierra Nevada near Lake Tahoe. That crystal-clear water is filtered for years through hard, compact granite, making it some of the purest water in the world.
“Minden Mill has the unique opportunity to help introduce the U.S. consumer to the American Single Malt Whiskey category,” says Minden Mill master distiller Joe O’Sullivan. “This is a true representation of a single estate whiskey, highlighting the unique terroir of Nevada’s high desert and the extreme Sierra Nevada temperaments – from very short growing seasons to the scorching summer days and brutally cold nights. The subtle exploration of flavor based on regional differences is what made Scotch Whisky so compelling to consumers, and we can replicate that experience in Minden with American Single Malt.”
Minden Mill American Single Malt is distilled in dual, all-copper Forsyth stills hammered by hand in Speyside, Scotland – two of only a few in the U.S. The fourth-generation family-owned coppersmiths are known for their high quality and respect for the tradition and heritage of fine single malt Scotch production. Rather than using the steam commonly used to heat stills in most American whiskey production, Minden Mill’s cutting-edge heating systems use a thermal oil-heated calandria at the bottom of the stripping and spirit stills to reach higher temperatures than steam. This replicates the flavors of direct-fire distillation, creating a complex and exceptionally balanced flavor profile.
Minden Mill also implements a unique barrel aging process for the Nevada high desert climate. The whiskey is aged for five years in a barrel regime of Oloroso sherry, ex-bourbon and American oak casks, along with re-charred wine and sherry butts in climate-controlled Rickhouses. The Rickhouses are intentionally calibrated to mimic the temperature and humidity of Speyside, Scotland – a nod to traditional single malt Scotch whisky aging methods. Thanks to the exceptionally low humidity of the Nevada region, this careful temperature control ensures the proper expansion and contraction into the wood, along with well-defined evaporation levels to condense the rich flavors of the whiskey.