Laphroaig 1990 Samaroli

A 1990 vintage Laphroaig bottled by Italian bottler Samaroli in the year 2000. This was one of the final release in the gold-capsuled, tall bottle before the introduction of the familiar squat black glass the company uses today. The label is also an updated version of the distillery illustration style used on many of the much-lauded 1980s bottlings.

Samaroli are perhaps Italy's most revered independent bottler of Scotch whisky. With an impeccable taste in single cask whiskies, and an eye for aesthetics (if not English spelling at times!), founder Silvano Samaroli is regarded by many as a visionary. Since his passing in 2017, the company has been run by his friend Antonio Bleve, who continues his tradition of high quality releases. Many of Silvano’s early bottlings occupy deserved spots on the pantheon of all-time whisky greats.

Laphroaig is the largest of the three heavyweight Islay distilleries in Kildalton, out-stripping the production capacity of neighbours, Ardbeg and Lagavulin, by over 1 million litres per annum. Despite its traditional appearance, Laphroaig was always a forward-thinking distillery. It was bottled as a single malt as early as the 1920s, an unfashionable option at the time, especially for a peated whisky. They were also shrewd in capitalising on post-Prohibition America to add trademark sweetness to their spirit through the use of imported ex-bourbon casks, and hired Scotland’s first ever female distillery manager, Bessie Williamson, in 1954. Laphroaig is one of only a handful of distilleries in Scotland to still use in-house maltings, providing them with 20% of their annual requirements, and contributing to the distillery’s unique flavour profile.

One of 336 bottles.