Butterscotch | Dried mixed fruit | Fresh straw | Light apricot | Burnt sugar | Brown butter | White peppercorn

Leather | Dry red wine | Light malted barley

Subtle rye spice | Dry baking spices | Subtle red fruits | Malt | Short

Minden Mill Distilling is an estate distillery located in Minden, Nevada, which opened in February 2019. The mill in which the distillery is located has a long and storied past. Its main operation ended in the late 1960s, and was named to the National Register of Historic Places. After failed attempts to use it for other purposes, it sat until 2012. When owner Don Bently died and his son Christopher took over ownership, 4 years and an estimated $100 million later, he restored the property and created Bently Heritage Distillery. But it was short-lived, and the distillery closed in early 2022 and was put up for sale. Las Vegas Golden Knights pro hockey team owner Bill Foley then purchased the distillery in May 2023 for $12 million and reopened it.

Starting in August 2023, distilling operations were conducted by Master Distiller Joe O’Sullivan. He was previously the master distiller for Clear Creek Distillery and Hood River Distillers. Though the distillery also makes bourbon and rye, they are particularly keen on American single malts, as O’Sullivan apprenticed under Steve McCarthy, who is widely recognized as the pioneer of American single malt.

Minden Mill American Single Malt features a 5 year age statement, which makes it some of the earliest whiskey Minden Mill distilled when they opened. This also means it wasn’t distilled by O’Sullivan, but some of its aging and blending were overseen by him. Minden Mill American Single Malt is unique as it was distilled using a Forsyth still, Scotland’s premier still manufacturer, and was made with 100% estate-grown barley that is malted on site. It was also aged in a mix of oloroso sherry, ex-bourbon, and American oak casks.

The result is Minden Mill American Single Malt has more going on with it than many new single malts hitting the market. As the whiskey opens up in the glass, its sherry influence is slowly drawn out, giving the whiskey a noticeable dried mixed fruit note throughout. It’s also drier than many American single malts and remains quite malt-forward. As a result, it drinks a bit hotter than its proof, resulting in tasting a little rough around the edges. Yet there is something unique tasting going on with this whiskey that is absent from other American single malts. With some additional finetuning from O’Sullivan, I’m curious what the future holds for this American single malt brand.