Samaroli

Samaroli, a revered name among whisky enthusiasts, is synonymous with rarity, legend, and exceptional beauty in the world of Scotch whisky. Founded by Silvano S Samaroli in 1968, the company initially started as an importer of Scotch whisky for the Italian market. However, in 1979, Samaroli bottled its first series, consisting of dumpy Cadenhead bottles imported for the Italian market. This marked the beginning of Samaroli's journey as an independent bottler.

One of Samaroli's pioneering contributions to the whisky world was its active promotion of cask-strength whisky, a practice that has since become commonplace among independent bottlers. Samaroli's commitment to quality and detail extended to its bottle labeling, which included extensive information such as cask numbers, wood types, distillation dates, and tasting notes.

The Flowers series, released in 1981, further solidified Samaroli's reputation for exceptional bottlings. These releases featured rare single malts handpicked by Silvano Samaroli himself, including the iconic 1966 Bowmore. Samaroli's commitment to cask-strength releases set a precedent that many other independent bottlers would follow.

Samaroli's whiskies regularly received high scores from critics, and some of their bottlings have achieved legendary status. Notable examples include the Bowmore Bouquet (1966) and the Laphroaig Samaroli 15 Year Old (1967), which received scores of 97 and 98 points, respectively, from renowned whisky critic Serge Valentin.

Despite Silvano Samaroli's passing in 2017, his legacy lives on in the exceptional whiskies he and his company bottled. Samaroli's contributions to the world of Scotch whisky remain celebrated and cherished by collectors and enthusiasts alike.