New things are coming from an Old Line.
In recent decades, Baltimore, Maryland has been making its position in the whiskey world well known. Craft distilleries like Sagamore Spirits and the Baltimore Spirits Company have been churning out everything from Maryland-style rye whiskey to apple brandy. Now Old Line Spirits joins the line-up of Baltimore whiskey makers.
Old Line Spirits is fairly new on the scene, opening its doors in February of 2017. The company was formed by two former Navy pilots: Mark McLaughlin and Arch Watkins. After they completed their navy service, they learned the whiskey trade at Golden Distillery in Samish Bay, outside of Seattle. But rather than focus their work and training on rye whiskey or bourbon, the two men set their sights on an emerging category of whiskey: American Single Malt.
Although it has yet to be codified by the U.S. government, this new whiskey has been defined by an independent group known as the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission. The hope of the ASMWC is to set a shared understanding of the new whiskey type so that distilleries like Old Line can be creative, while still maintaining a standard for consumers. Despite the government’s less than speedy action, American Single Malt is a rapidly growing category of whiskey. So for craft distillers like Old Line, it’s a perfect opportunity.
Old Line Spirits didn’t hedge their bets with American Single Malt – they really went for it. After all, it’s not like two former Navy pilots to be risk averse. To date, the brand has released a core group of whiskies including their Flagship American Single Malt Whiskey, a Bottled-in-Bond Single Malt, a Navy Strength Single Malt, and a Single Barrel Single Malt. The collection also includes a whole Double Oak Series of American Single Malts finished in just about any kind of cask you can imagine: Port, Madeira, Moscatel, Sherry, Cognac, and even Rum. And speaking of rum – like true Navy men, Old Line Spirits also offers four different types of Caribbean Rum.
However, we managed to get our hands on Old Line 86 Proof American Single Malt. Unfortunately, we’ve learned that the distillery plans to soon replace the Old Line 86 Proof and its Cask Strength counterpart with the Flagship and Navy Strength Single Malt. And that might not be the worst move.
Old Line 86 Proof is made from 100% malted barley, a standard for the new American Single Malt. This particular whiskey is also aged in new, charred oak barrels, which imparts a heavy oakiness in both the smell and flavor. There’s a subtle sweetness in the flavor and the finish too, like honey and vanilla. It’s a very light whiskey that’s easy on the palate, but we found ourselves wanting just a bit more. Luckily, the incoming Flagship replacement is both higher in proof and carries a 4-6 year age statement. A little more heat and a little longer in the barrel will probably do this whiskey a world of good.
For now though, it’s a solid start for Old Line Spirits. Sure Old Line 86 Proof might not be our favorite whiskey of all time, but it’s a promising start for a Baltimore distillery that’s taking on the wild world of American Single Malt. This initial introduction to the brand has us hoping for more – just as long as they keep walking that line of excellence.
STATS: Old Line 86 Proof American Single Malt
- Price for us: $45 for 750 mL
- Proof: 86
- Aged: NAS
- Distillery: Old Line
- Recommendation: Neat / On the Rocks