Old Line American Single Malt

This tasting comes from a complimentary sample provided by a tour companion. This distillery is new to the spirits market. It's an American single malt crafted from 100% malted barley sourced from the Pacific Northwest. Produced in pot stills and matured for two years in 10-gallon charred new American oak barrels. Bottled at 43% ABV and likely retains its natural deep red mahogany color. Probably chill-filtered. The initial aroma is somewhat harsh but improves with time. Strong notes of charred oak, vanilla, toffee, caramel, and maraschino cherries are present. It has a malty quality, but the oak dominates. Red apple and a hint of berry are also detected. Not bad for only two years of aging. With further aeration, hints of buttercream, vanilla cake, roasted caramel malts, and brown sugar emerge. A slight cardboard note is out of place. There are also undertones of cinnamon and clove. The palate is dominated by intense oak flavor and a degree of bitterness. It presents as vanilla and cherry cough syrup, sour apples, burnt toffee, and caramel. Cinnamon and clove are also noticeable. The bitterness intensifies, overshadowing the nose in the overall experience. I added water to assess its impact. It reduces any harshness in the aroma and enhances the toffee and apple notes. Water significantly diminishes the palate, but all elements remain, albeit weakened, including the bitterness. The mouthfeel is medium-bodied, dry, yet fairly smooth. The finish is lengthy, which is a drawback in this case. It features bitter oak, cough syrup, and barrel char. I suspect the use of such small barrels was a strategy to bring the product to market quickly. I recall that barley distilled in pot stills can yield a harsher spirit than a corn mash bill from column stills. This is why scotch is typically not exclusively matured in virgin oak, as the wood tannins extract too rapidly and interact poorly with the new make spirit. I could be mistaken, but that's my recollection. The nose on this young single malt is pleasant enough, but the palate and finish were detrimental to the experience. Rated 3 stars, potentially 3.25 with water. Thanks for the sample, [friend]. Cheers

During a trip to Maryland, at a spirit shop I frequent, Old Line was sampling their product and I had the good fortune to speak with one of the new proprietors, Mark McLaughlin. He's a former Navy Flight Officer, and he and his associate, as we talked, trained under the original Navy veteran from Washington State, then acquired and relocated the business to Baltimore, Maryland. This specific spirit was "aged for a minimum of two years in 10-gallon barrels," which is "aged in new, charred white oak containers," and was "made on Samish Island, WA." He demonstrates great passion and zeal, aiming to broaden Old Line's reach. The appearance is a deep amber, though it's unclear if this is its natural hue. It's produced from 100% malted barley. On the nose, it strongly resembles bourbon. It's rather straightforward, with notes of vanilla and the spices of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. A light body appears with an immediate wave of oak. The oak shifts to a brief taste of vanilla and maple syrup or deep caramel. This fleeting sweetness is replaced by dry cinnamon spice. As it heads into the finish, the taste becomes slightly bitter. The finish is characterized by woody oak and a drying sensation. You are eventually left with tastes of cinnamon, bitter orange peel, and black licorice. When water is introduced, a "haze" (can't really call it a Scotch Mist) develops. The sweetness is reduced, but the drink becomes more integrated; however, I favor it without water. Despite being made entirely from barley, it possesses all the flavors and traits of a bourbon. A respectable and pleasing whiskey. It's not excessively sweet and offers the spicy and oaky qualities I appreciate in a bourbon. [Dry Glass: Faint candy corn][84/100][$42][Tasted: 9/22/17]

This is an American interpretation of a single malt whisky. It was provided by a member of our scotch sample trading group as an addition. Our extras vary from craft beer to tequila to gin to Indian whisky to bourbon and even other scotches. This particular one was sent by an acquaintance from Long Island. He acquired it during a trip to Baltimore, MD. My thanks to him. It has a deep mahogany color and forms substantial legs in the glass. The nose offers your typical bourbon aromas: vanilla, cinnamon, and freshly cut cedar. The palate is somewhat rough, but I discovered that this spirit is only 2 years old and was aged in very small, 10-gallon charred oak barrels, and made using malted barley from the Pacific Northwest. The finish is warm, somewhat rough, and lengthy. You can tell it’s quite young, but the flavor and impact are present. It would be fascinating to sample this after it has aged in the barrel for 7-8+ years. I’m curious if it mellowed while continuing to extract that wonderful charred oak flavor profile. As it stands, it’s better than I anticipated, but I would struggle to rate it higher than 3.25-3.5 stars. Overall, a pleasant addition. Thanks again, my friend. Cheers.

I enjoy exploring American craft distilleries and admire their creativity in using various methods to overcome time constraints. They cannot afford to wait 18 years; they need to produce results in under two years to appeal to large corporations like Diageo, LVMH, or Pernod-Ricard by demonstrating strong financial returns, a defined customer base, and a unique market position, similar to the strategies of George Clooney, High West, and Del Maguey. However, American craft distilleries face a dilemma: they cannot instantly create an 18-year-old spirit, yet their high labor costs drive prices comparable to those of 18-year-olds (consider a $100 price tag for a 2-year Westland). This sample was given to me by a trading partner as a complimentary addition. It has sour apple notes and intense, new-wood-like oakiness, with a bit of bitterness. It's a commendable effort showcasing hands-on craftsmanship, but it would benefit from more aging to mellow out or perhaps a finishing process to mask the bitterness.

Aroma - caramel, ripe cherries, vanilla, slightly sharp and metallic, mild maltiness, with hints of honey and peaches Taste - Sweet malt and caramel, some vanilla and fruit, moderate oak tannins, a bit of spice, and that subtle metallic note again Finish - Medium mouthfeel, a bitter note remains on the tip of the tongue, sweeter notes linger briefly, mild warmth going down

Notes of oak, toffee, and a subtle leather aroma greet the nose in a warm and pleasant manner. A sip reveals more of the woodiness detected on the nose, along with deep, dark undertones of chocolate and red fruits, possibly raspberry. The finish has an oily texture that lingers with caramel.