Minden Mill reveals its first whiskeys
After joining the Foley Family Wine & Spirits portfolio last year, Nevada’s Minden Mill Distilling has released a Bourbon, rye, and single malt as its inaugural whiskeys.
The new trio of whiskeys are all made with grains grown within five miles of the distillery from land under Minden Mill’s control. The single-estate whiskies are meant to capture the terroir of the desert climate of the Carson Valley. “High Desert terroir is distinct. The demanding climate of the Carson Valley has shaped our grain through heat and frost into a raw material we work hard to honour,” master distiller Joe O’Sullivan said. “What you’ll find in our whiskey is a flavour that appeals to the new drinker looking to explore the category as well as the experienced spirit hound who is searching for their new coveted bottle. These Minden Mill single-estate whiskeys are the first step in bringing estate distilling, and the High Desert terroir to the forefront of the American craft whiskey category.” The whiskies include a Nevada Straight Bourbon that is made with a mashbill of 60% Earthtone Heirloom corn, 20% rye, 10% barley, and 10% oat. It is bottled at 47% ABV and priced at US$45. The whiskey is aged for four years in American and French oak and shows notes of cherry cola, vanilla and light spices. The Nevada Straight rye is made from a mashbill of 80% rye, 10% wheat, and 10% barley, a ratio designed to reflect a candied orange peel note reflective of the Carson Valley. It is bottled at 47% ABV and priced at US$45. The whiskey was aged for four years in American and French oak and shows notes of candied fruits. The American single malt is made with 100% estate-grown barley that is malted on site. It is bottled at 47% ABV and priced at US$60. The whiskey is aged for five years in a combination of oloroso Sherry, ex-Bourbon, and American oak casks and shows notes of coffee and almond. The Bourbon and Rye were made with grain varieties that thrive in the short growing season of the high desert, and distilled in a Carl hybrid still. The American single malt was made in Forsyth stills. The whiskeys are aged in climate-controlled rickhouses inspired by different regions around the world – Scotland's Speyside region for the single malt and Nelson County in Kentucky for the Bourbon and rye. The whiskies will be available in Nevada, Arizona, California, Colorado, and Illinois. Foley Family Wine & Spirits began operating Minden Mill in May 2023. The distillery is part of the company’s expansion into spirits which also includes New Zealand’s Lighthouse Gin.
