Old Line - American Single Malt (Cask Strength Single Barrel #16-0477)

Old Line - American Single Malt - Cask Strength Single Barrel

This expression features the same liquid as their Flagship (95 proof) release, but it is then matured in a second barrel that formerly held rich Pedro Ximenez (or “PX”) sherry, part of what they call their “Double Oak” series, and is more commonly referred to as a sherry “finish”. Of the seven types of sherry PX is the sweetest and delivers wonderful, dessert-like notes, such as toffee, molasses and fig.

A Little Background on Old Line. Founded in Baltimore by US military veterans, their American Single Malt is made from 100% malted barley, matured for 4 to 6 years in new, heavy char American oak barrels. The key word there is “new” — most Scotch single malts and most world single malts for that matter are aged in used (predominantly ex-bourbon) barrels, but a lot of the American producers of single malt are aging in new barrels, which impart more flavor, and more quickly. You might argue that this places them snugly between the Bourbon market (which by definition must be made in a new oak container) and the Scotch market, which also uses 100% malted barley but in used oak casks.

Old Line both distills their own whiskey at their home facility in Baltimore and sources some of their spirits from a distillery in Ohio (presumably Middle West, but don’t hold us to that), but always using their trademark mash bill of 87% pale malt barley and 13% deep roast malted barley. And each bottle indicates on the back which distillery it was made at. Delicious stuff, and an important part in the exciting new category that is American Single Malt.

50% abv / 100 Proof / 750 ml