Old Line Spirits American Single Malt Whiskey
Old Line Spirits American Single Malt Whiskey is great. Not good, great. At 86 proof. Great.
When founders Arch Watkins and Mark McLaughlin - both now-retired Navy airmen - decided to start Old Line Spirits, they had a slight head start. What is now Old Line started as Golden Distillery in Washington State’s Puget Sound. The full story is detailed on the Old Line Spirits website and is worth the read…long story short, though, Arch and Mark were able to take the distillery over and move it to Baltimore, Maryland, where it sits today in the Highlandtown neighborhood.
It’s no secret that I love American Single Malt and where the category is going. In fact, as of writing, the TTB has finally presented a proposed Standards of Identity for American Single Malt. Old Line hasn’t taken the front-and-center role that, say, Westland or Santa Fe Spirits have, but they have otherwise conformed to the proposed standards in anticipation of their passage.
Made from 100% malted barley in the US at one distillery, aged (now) in 53-gallon new charred oak barrels, Old Line conforms to and exceeds all requirements.
Oddly, though - and they’re quite clear about this - they don’t distill the volume of their whiskey on-site. It’s actually distilled in Ohio at friend of the podcast Middle West Spirits, whose founder Ryan Lang was on Episode 52. The reason is simple: Middle West Spirits was a crucial partner in honing Mark and Arch’s skills at distilling, and they have the capacity to distill far more than Old Line does on-site.
Old Line Spirits’ on-site still is small, a hybrid pot still-column with a five-plate column. The slightly descending lyne arm allows for plenty of flavor to transfer from the pot to the column, where it’s short enough to get up to proof and clean the spirit but also not strip too much away.
Those other two columns aren’t used in whiskey-making and are only involved in rare vodka runs, so don’t let that fool you.
The heads and tails cuts are made according to the spirit safe on the left-hand side, which takes just a single panel shift to divert the bad from the good.
The majority of distillation happens at Middle West Spirits, but the idea is still the same: as little processing as possible to keep those dark malt flavors and richer congeners in the spirit.
The result is a whole new profile in American Single Malt, one I think is more than different enough from Scotch single malt to be called American in the same way Santa Fe’s mesquite smoke does.
Old Line Spirits’ American Single Malt is cola-syrupy, with rich and dark malt notes lightened just a bit by lemon zest and candied ginger. More than anything, perhaps, is how good it is at just 86 proof.
If you’ve read more than two of my reviews, know I love proof and often feel that American whiskies in particular don’t hold up at below around 100 proof. Once in awhile I’ll find a rye that does, but unless you’re talking dusty bourbon it’s a needle in a haystack. Single malt, on the other hand, has significantly more mouthfeel at lower proofs. They have the heft you need to carry flavors and not taste watered down.
This American Single Malt also manages to not be oaky, despite using all new charred American oak casks. Some American Single Malt producers emulate the Scottish style by using either used or a mix of new and used, but Old Line has used new casks from the beginning, starting with smaller barrels and now using exclusively 53-gallon barrels to age their new make.
As I noted in yesterday’s review about Filey Bay’s Flagship Yorkshire Single Malt Whisky, a core product can make or break everything that branches off of it. Old Line Spirits’ core profile is right where I want it to be, with no need for anything more to enjoy as is.
Don’t get me wrong - my review of their cask strength version tomorrow proves there’s plenty more in there, but I truly enjoy the original bottling at 86 proof. It’s not only a great single malt, it has an American tinge with those new charred oak casks and a deep flavor reminiscent of the best malt whiskies anywhere in the world.
In their own words: Bravo Zulu.
Thank you to Old Line Spirits for providing this bottle with no constraints.
Old Line Spirits American Single Malt Whiskey: Specs
Classification: American Single Malt Whiskey
Origin: Old Line Spirits Distillery
Mashbill: 100% Malted Barley
Proof: 86 (43% ABV)
Age: NAS
Location: Baltimore, MD
Old Line Spirits American Single Malt Whiskey Price: $39.99
Old Line Spirits American Single Malt Whiskey Review: Tasting Notes
Eye: Hazy manuka honey. No rims, splotchy coating on the sides of the glen.
Nose: Warm, not too bready malt. Candied lemon zest and sugary ginger candies. Crunchy whole wheat crusts, no proof, light cola syrup leads to a dark malt syrup.
Palate: Pretzel crusts without the salt. Some citrus pith joins the zest, adding a welcome sweet/bitter note that wakes up the palate. Oily as hell - you can tell the tail cuts are long - coating but also swirls around the mouth smoothly. Blonde-roast coffee grounds, adding acidity without adding bitterness. Mouthfeel is slightly numbing at first, some Szechuan peppercorns, while the oiliness dries out as dark cola syrup comes to the fore.
Finish: Medium-to-short, mostly staying on the middle palate. Some oak flashes towards the end as the lacquer builds.
Overall: Dark, malty, everything I want in an American Single Malt without too much oak or smoke. A true bourbon-lover’s American Single Malt and a great, cola-driven entry to the category and the brand.
Final Rating: 6.6
10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close
9 | Incredible | Extraordinary
8 | Excellent | Exceptional
7 | Great | Well above average
6 | Very Good | Better than average
5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary
4 | Has promise but needs work
1-3 | Let’s have a conversation
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