With a long-standing reputation in the microcosm of whisky lovers, bottlings by Silvano Samaroli gained international renown during the 2010s. A perfect example of this would be the auction of a bottle of Laphroaig 1967 - selling for £61,000 in August 2018. Despite individual bottlings being iconic, the collections created by Samaroli have not received the same attention. Let's take a look at one of his most famous collections: Red Dot & Flowers.
The 1990s: the Turning Point
Without entirely retracing Silvano Samaroli’s journey into the whisky industry, as we already covered that in this article, it still seems necessary to contextualise the period in which Silvano Samaroli unveiled the Red Dot & Flowers collection in 1990. In 1979, he created his first bottlings and went on to launch some of his most legendary bottles in the decade that followed, including: Glenlivet 1955, Laphroaig 1967, Bowmore 1966 Bouquet, Tormore 1966. Each of these four expressions have at least once exceeded £10,000 at auction. Amongst independent bottlers, only Gordon & MacPhail can boast such a feat.
The 1990s were much more difficult for Silvano Samaroli. His collaboration with independent bottler R.W. Duthie, from whom he used to select his casks, came to an unsettling end. Although Samaroli continued to source incredible spirits for the subsequent two decades, he realised by the mid-1990s that sourcing high-quality casks to trading houses was going to become increasingly more complicated. This issue is still very much relevant today. Since the beginning of the 2000s, Silvano Samaroli has bottled less whisky. The Red Dot & Flowers collection is one of the most recent expressions, and one that represents the end of a golden era for the Italian merchant.
A Collection of Five Legendary Distilleries
The Red Dot & Flowers collection is sometimes confused with the The Never Bottled Top Quality Whisky Series, the very first trading collection marketed by Silvano Samaroli in 1981. Bottlings from these two collections are sometimes grouped together and referred to as the Flowers series. Nevertheless, the two collections were created in rather different and unique ways. For the first, The Never Bottled Top Quality Whisky Series, Samaroli selected rare and limited single malts, such as Benromach 1967, Coleburn 1969, Glen Keith 1969, Millburn 1970, North Port 1966 and Teaninich 1959, bottled at 46% ABV with their vintage and their age proudly labelled. On the other hand, the Red Dot & Flowers collection is made up of bottlings from legendary distilleries, such as Ardbeg 1975, Bowmore 1972 and 1979, GlenDronach 1970, Glen Garioch “Coilltean” 1975 and Springbank 1965, with a variety of proof strengths (43%, 46% and 57%) and without counting age.
The confusion between the two series can be explained by the similarity of their labels. In both cases they are watercolours of floral motifs in an art nouveau style designed by Samaroli himself. However, the back of the The Never Bottled Top Quality Whisky Series labels are identical on each bottle, while those in the Red Dot & Flowers series are unique for each bottling.
The attention taken by Samaroli to design these labels is an example of his rigour and unflinching attitude, both in terms of content and container. During an interview transcribed by Emmanuel Dron in his Collecting Scotch Whisky publication, the Italian bottler explained that it is hard to please him, and so he prefers to create his own labels so that he is happy with the end result.
In this same interview, Silvano Samaroli described himself as a “whisky interpreter”. According to him, interpreting a whisky involves (at least) two criteria: recognising the perfect moment to bottle a whisky and choosing the correct proofing strength (natural cask strength or dilution). For many whisky lovers, the Red Dot & Flowers range is a collection of the finest single malts ever bottled. With expressions aged from 11 to 25 years, it is an excellent example of Samaroli's work.
At Auction
In May 2024, the entire Red Dot & Flowers collection sold for £23,500 at auction. Individually, each of the bottlings are more affordable than some versions from the same distilleries, marketed by Samaroli. For example, the Springbank 1965 is much more affordable, at around £6,000, than the famous 12 Years Old 100 Proof or the Glen Cawdor 1964, which fetched more than £10,000 at auction. The same goes for the Bowmore 1972 (between £3,000 and £4,000), compared to the renowned Bowmore 1966 Bouquet, which can reach in excess of £50,000, and for the Coilltean 1975 (just under £4,000) compared to the Glen Garioch 8 Years Old 1971, which can cost almost double. On the other hand, the GlenDronach 1970 remains the most expensive version from this distillery for the 1970 vintage (around £4,000).
Tasting Notes
We are offering an exceptional tasting of three of the six expressions from the Red Dot & Flowers collection. The GlenDronach 1970 has previously been tasted as part of an article on the history of the distillery.
BOWMORE 1972 Samaroli Red Dot & Flowers 43%:
Colour : amber.
Nose: delicate and complex. On first glance, we get notes that are: mineral (shellfish); maritime (fine sand); empyreumatic (asphalt); fruity (mango, passion fruit, pineapple); infused (green tea); and animalistic (chicken broth). These scents roll one after another, unveiling an immense depth of flavour.
Palate: elegant, tart. Two distinct taste sequences punctuate the mouth. The first highlights the marine anchorage of this Bowmore, evoking the sea with strong characteristics of cod, tuna and clams. Then, a light acidity (lemon, balsamic vinegar) enters and eases the tasting experience towards a second, more lustful sequence, marked by fruit (peach, lime, mango).
Finish: piercing, warm. The initially peppery finish is soon followed by a more mellowed wave of wax and honey. Fine herbaceous flavours of mint and lemon balm then coat the palate. Finally, the tasting is elongated with notes of oysters and tobacco.
How wonderful! We often mention the exotic nature of the Bowmore from the 1960s to the beginning of the 1970s. This bottle breaks free from this profile to reveal an immense complexity and beautifully attractive depth, despite its weak proof strength. Without a doubt one of the greatest Bowmores ever bottled.
SPRINGBANK 1965 Samaroli Red Dot & Flowers 46 %:
Colour: golden yellow.
Nose: deep, strong. Admirable in its complexity, the nose of this Springbank is marked by a wonderfully balanced myriad of fragrances, including: passion fruit, dry earth, newspaper, white roses, coconut, gauze bandage, wax and olive oil.
Palate: rich, balanced. Peppery, mineral, waxy and fruity (walnut, almond), this whisky greets us with a lively, but welcome, attack on the palate. Then we are ushered into a more melodic tasting experience by flavours of lime, flowers (lavender, violets, orange blossom) and palo santo wood. We are offered an almost ethereal register. The finish on the palate is imprinted on by a gourmet touch (salted butter, flan).
Finish: elegant, harmonious. The finish continues with the creaminess of a chocolate mousse, then herbaceous notes (agave, aniseed) give tension to the finish. Lastly, notes of smoking cigars flood the after taste.
The density of this Springbank is exceptional. The distillation shines through, perfectly highlighted by the ageing process. Some of the strong and aired sequences are simply wonderful. The most demanding tasters may wonder whether, in the fashion of the Springbank 12 year old Sherry Wood 100 proof, this did not deserve to be bottled to a higher degree. Otherwise, this is an incredible whisky.
COILLTEAN 1975 Samaroli Red Dot & Flowers 57 %:
Colour: pale gold.
Nose: iconic, precise. The aromatic palate - with hints of minerals (chalk), smoke (black tea), malt (must), wax (paraffine) and synthetics (glue stick) - shows its strong character and an obvious ‘old-school’ feel. Tart fragrances of passion fruit linger in the background.
Palate: lively, full of tension. Deeply malted (cereal biscuit, lager), the initial attack on the palate is notably indulgent (hazelnuts). Then, the palate is flooded by flavours of spices and salt. The finish on the palate is lightly smoked.
Finish: reserved, concentrated. Notes of radish and ginger at the start of the finish add a root-like quality to the wine. Then, flavours of meat (lamb and beef) and of fish (smoked sardines) echo a smoky character on the finish. The after taste is both round and waxy.
After the delight of Bowmore and the balance of Springbank, Glen Garioch unveils a straight whisky, full of tension in which the more keen tasters may appreciate the beautiful exotic veil.
