Bruichladdich 1965 Cask Strength 10 Year Old / Samaroli Import

Like its island neighbour Bunnahabhain distillery, Bruichladdich has traditionally been an un-peated single malt, mostly owing to its requirements by the blenders who owned it. The last of these was Whyte & Mackay, who eventually shut it down in 1995, deeming it surplus to requirements. They sold the distillery to Murray McDavid in 2001, who launched the peated Port Charlotte and heavily-peated Octomore single malts in 2006 and 2008. A recommissioned Lomond still also now produces the popular Botanist gin there.

An incredibly rare and interesting bottle of 1965 vintage Bruichladdich.

This is an official distillery bottling for Silvano Samaroli, and represents the genesis of his transition from simple importer, to independent bottler. After a visit to Scotland in the 1970s, Silvano met with the Managing Director of Bruichladdich, a Mr Blake, and after an inspiring discussion, he selected his first two casks for bottling. They were both sherry matured 10 year olds, and which he bottled for this release in 1975, at their combined natural cask strength of 95 imperial proof, around 58% ABV. These bottlings were all hand-signed by Silvano on their back label. Inspired by these releases, Samaroli went on to produce his very first independent bottlings in 1979, a collaboration with Cadenhead's. The rest is history, but it might not have been were it not for this spectacular Bruichladdich.

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.