Minden Mill Distilling has announced the nationwide release of its single estate Nevada Straight Rye Whiskey. Designed to represent Nevada’s high desert terroir, the 94-proof, non-chill filtered four-year-old whiskey has been crafted with grains harvested from local fields carefully cultivated and overseen by Minden Mill at the brand’s estate distillery.
Master distiller Joe O’Sullivan produces Minden Mill Nevada Straight Rye Whiskey using a distinctive mash bill of 80 per cent rye, 10 per cent soft white wheat, and 10 per cent estate-malted barley. Minden Mill’s Rye reflects the high-desert environment—where dramatic temperature swings and a tight 90-day growing season deliver a rye with an earthy, nutty flavor profile and natural depth. The distillate is cut with snowmelt-fed water sourced from the Sierra Nevada near Lake Tahoe.
As a member of the Estate Whiskey Alliance and a licensed Nevada Estate Distillery, Minden Mill is among a select few U.S. distilleries committed to full grain traceability and oversight at every stage of production. The distillery exceeds both the Nevada state and Estate Whiskey Alliance standards by sourcing 100 per cent of the grains from within five miles of the distillery from land under Minden Mill’s control. With every step—milling, fermentation, distillation, maturation, and bottling—taking place on-site, the distillery is an innovator in expressing American whiskey terroir, particularly in the often-overlooked rye category.
“Very few producers own the full process from grain to glass, and that’s where Minden Mill Rye starts to stand apart. We don’t just distill the whiskey – we grow it,” says O’Sullivan. “Unlike most rye whiskeys, you won’t find any spice bombs here. It’s far more savory and balanced than most people expect. This mash bill was designed to highlight the candied orange peel character that is our house style.”
Minden Mill Nevada Straight Rye is distilled through a combination of a single Headframe continuous stripping still and a state-of-the-art Christian CARL hybrid still, both housed in a former creamery onsite. The whiskey is aged in a combination of Seguin Moreau new American and French oak barrels with a #3 char in traditional wooden rickhouses. The rickhouses’ environment have been calibrated to mimic the temperature and humidity of Kentucky’s Nelson County, ensuring a consistent, gradual maturation. The result is a rye whiskey that balances bold oak influence with mature complexity.
Minden Mill Nevada Straight Rye Whiskey (SRP $45) is available nationally and online at the brand’s website. The Minden Mill single estate whiskey portfolio also includes an American Single Malt Whiskey and a Nevada Straight Bourbon Whiskey.
