449. Estate Grown & Climate Controlled: The Innovative Spirit of Minden Mill

In this episode of the Bourbon Road podcast, hosts Jim Shannon and Todd Ritter are joined by Joe O'Sullivan, Master Distiller at Minden Mill Distilling, for an in-depth exploration of their unique Nevada-born spirits. This episode offers a fascinating look into the world of estate distilling, where Minden Mill grows 85% of its own grains right in the challenging high-altitude climate of Nevada, just a stone's throw from Lake Tahoe .

The conversation kicks off with a tasting of the Minden Mill Nevada Straight Rye. O'Sullivan details its 80% rye, 10% wheat, and 10% barley grain bill, all grown on-site . A standout feature of Minden Mill's process is their innovative solution to Nevada's harsh aging climate. Due to a staggering 3% angel's share loss per month in the dry local environment, they employ a climate-controlled rickhouse that precisely mimics the temperature and humidity of Bardstown, Kentucky. This 94-proof, 4-year-old rye delivers a distinct "candied orange" flavor profile, a direct result of its unique terroir and estate-grown winter rye . The hosts are immediately impressed by its sweetness and complexity, noting it drinks well beyond its age .

Next, they dive into the Nevada Straight Bourbon, a four-grain whiskey featuring a special heirloom "earth tones" corn. Unlike the sweet yellow dent corn, this starchy variety is compared to a potato raw but transforms through the distilling process to produce a remarkable "cherry cola" note