Samaroli Evolution Ed. 2013 - 45th Anniversary

Samaroli Evolution Ed. 2013 - 45th Anniversary, NAS, 47 %

Samaroli is an independent bottler based in Italy. Silvano Samaroli started the company back in 1968, as the first or one of the first independent bottlers outside of Scotland.

The Samaroli Evolution is a vatting of many single malts (so a blended malt), where they have released a small quantum of bottles every year for a few years. This special release from 2013 commemorated the 45th anniversary of the company and the 75th anniversary of Silvano Samaroli. The only info I can find online is that the Samaroli Evolution Ed. 2013 - 45th Anniversary contains single malt that is between 10 and 40 years old, from Orkney, Islay, Speyside and the Highland region.

This particular release was limited to 150 bottles. When it was released in Norway in January 2014 it was priced at NOK 3382.

Nose: Wow! This is rich and complex. Dark and mysterious! Fruity notes, for sure, as well as warm spices, dusty attic, old books, and a leisurely walk through the woods on an early Autumn morning - at the end of a long Indian summer. Strawberries, candied apples, mixed nuts and leather sandals. There are hints of smoke in the background.

Taste: Rich and full mouthfeel. Quite spicy, with lots of coffee and chilli chocolate! There's rich and creamy chocolate mousse, created with love and the best of ingredients. White and black pepper, mild chilli, ginger, nutmeg, mixed nuts, raisins and dates.

Finish: Long, dark and rich finish. It just keeps going. I still get the same flavours, but they dance and swirl, making new combinations all the time. Now the coffee notes dominate, then it it's the chocolate, or the drier spicy notes with hints of leather and tobacco.

Comments: I absolutely love the taste of this whisky! What fantastic coffee and chocolate notes!

Score (91/100)

Image from Master of Malt.

Sláinte! - Thomas