Review #603 - Old Line Single Barrel Single Malt - Quarterdeck Whiskey Club Pick
Old Line Spirits, based in Baltimore, Maryland (also known as the Old Line State), produces a range of spirits: whisky (predominantly single malt whisky), rum, and vodka. Some of their single malts are distilled on premises, while other whisky has been sourced from Middle West Spirits in Ohio; the distillery ages these whiskies in a huge variety of cask types, including some unusual options like Sauternes, Armagnac, and rum casks.
The brand also runs a whisky club: the Quarterdeck Whiskey Club, which provides membership perks for distillery visits and special releases. The distillery releases some single barrel picks specifically for the club, including this bottle we're reviewing today: a single malt aged for 8 years in a new American white oak barrel. After those 8 years of maturation, the barrel proof was a blistering 66.05% ABV (132.1 proof).
Old Line Single Barrel Single Malt - Quarterdeck Whiskey Club Pick
USA - Single Malt
Price: USD 70 (2025)
Age Statement: 8 Years
Strength: 66.05% ABV
Cask Makeup: New American oak
Details: Barrel 16-0477; filled May 10, 2016; bottled June 3, 2024
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 4 months from a sample. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes
Nose: Dark, smoky oak and tobacco leaf, some leather - quite dark, rich, and mature. Baking notes of caramel, maple syrup, and cardamom bring some sweetness, but there's also spice from cinnamon, allspice, and a bit of alcoholic kick. Softer notes of linen, bruleed sugar, and almond can occasionally be found; dark roast coffee beans, too.
Palate: This has a thick mouthfeel - great texture, even syrupy, with quite a lot of heat. It's spicy and oaky, and we get notes of black pepper, dry leather, dark chocolate, and lots of wood smoke. Sweeter malty notes arrive in time, along with hints of cherry and spices of cardamom and cinnamon; there's a hint of tobacco, too.
Finish: Strong oak - drying, with hints of char and leather. There are some nice sweet notes of dark Luxardo cherry and malty chocolate, as well as a spiced caramel; cinnamon adds a mild spice, and there's a lot of heat from the strength. It's a medium-long finish.
Final Note: Tons of oak and heat - there is good flavor development behind that, but it can be challenging at times to find the subtleties behind the powerful spice notes. We did enjoy the red fruits and all of the baking spice - this is a bit of a classic profile for an American single malt aged in new oak, especially with those malty chocolate notes that got stronger with time. This is a good single cask pick.
Value here is very good - these single barrels seem to be available for $60 to $75, and you're getting a lot of cask strength flavor for that price. If you like American single malts, especially those with an oak-forward profile, we would recommend a single barrel like this.
Our Average Rating: 7.3 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 7.12
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
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