59.90 Close Your Eyes And Enjoy

Close Your Eyes And Enjoy is Scotch Malt Whisky Society cask 59.90, a single malt Scotch whisky from the Teaninich distillery (Society distillery code 59) in the Scottish Highlands. Distilled on 2 October 2007 and bottled at 17 years old, it spent its full maturation in a first-fill ex-bourbon hogshead. Like every Society release it was bottled at natural cask strength, in this case 52.4% ABV in 700ml bottles, with no chill filtration, and the cask yielded 211 bottles. The Society's tasting panel places it in the "Juicy, oak & vanilla" flavour profile. SMWS labels carry a number rather than the distillery's name, because a single cask often tastes quite unlike the distillery's usual house style.

Nose: Caramelised crème brûlée sugar, sandalwood incense and salted caramel fudge; water adds spice, a hint of salt and a pineapple-banana smoothie.

Palate: Silky custard and crème caramel moving to a sweet, spicy rhubarb chutney; with water, a creamy, tangy passion fruit mousse.

Finish: Long, with pineapple upside-down sponge and rum and raisin ice cream.

Serve: Taste it neat first, then add a few drops of water; at 52.4% ABV a little dilution opens up further aromas, as the Society's panel found.