Longrow 1973 Natural Strength is a peaty single malt produced at the Springbank distillery in Campbeltown and bottled for Samaroli at an alcohol content of 53%. Despite being very popular, Longrow remains an elusive whisky, with only 100-150 barrels produced annually at the distillery. The first proponent of this distillate was the legendary Italian bottler Silvano Samaroli. Samaroli bought and bottled several barrels from the inaugural vintage; indeed, many collectors and connoisseurs attribute much of the Longrow's success to the Italian bottler himself. The photograph shows one of the 960 bottles produced.

Who is Silvano Samaroli?

Silvano Samaroli is perhaps the most revered independent bottler ever. With impeccable taste in whiskies and an eye for aesthetics, Silvano Samaroli is considered by many to be a visionary. Many of Silvano's early bottlings hold a privileged place in the pantheon of the greatest whiskies of all time. In the photograph, one of the 960 bottles produced.