In the 1960s a handful of Italians carved out their own unique relationship to the heralded distillate of Scotland. Samaroli came to prominence by sourcing single malts when the value of these products had plummeted in the UK in the wake of World War II. Italians had no prior relationship to Scotch, and they approached it without regard to the rules—they did not know them. As a result, the Italian take on whisky is one of a kind. It is sprezzatura; it is punk.

Today, single malts are ubiquitous and single casks are coveted. It is easy to forget how influential Silvano Samaroli was. He was more than a pioneer, he was an iconoclast. Single malts were once confined to domestic consumption. Samaroli brought these treasures to an international audience. Just as he bottled single-casks at cask strength before it was en vogue, once his novel approach found its place in the commercial sphere, he moved on, focusing on blends and lower proof bottlings, again bringing new color to the world.

Today the spirit of Silvano lives on in Samaroli. His wanderlust is in the company’s DNA. Samaroli is one of the most influential independent bottlers in history, still walking that line between the elegant and the avant-garde. Samaroli honors this legacy by continuing the search for the unexpected and unexplored. Whether you choose to walk a path paved by others or find your own, take comfort knowing all roads lead to Rome.

CRB, 2024