I picked this up shortly after finishing Russell's Reserve Single Barrel, on sale for $45. It is frequently $4 off in NC, making it one of the cheapest high proof bourbons you can readily buy. The nose belies the high proof. The Russell's Reserve was more potent. You cannot tell this whiskey is 116.8 proof by smell and usually by taste as well. I get oak char, spiced dessert, dark cherries and berries, and alcohol. Nothing stands out and the alcohol burn is subtle unless you swirl the glass. Oak char is the dominant flavor, with a long finish. I also get sweetness that is mostly derived from hot cherry compared to brown sugar or caramel. The finish is where the proof really presents itself to your taste buds. The spiced dessert is covered by the long finish of cherry oak and alcohol. Some of the more subtle flavors on the smell and taste vanish. In a blind tasting you may be fooled into thinking this is under 100 proof until the finish. Overall this is a great, affordable cask strength bourbon. I'd rate this and the Russell's Reserve about the same, so if you are looking to try one reach for Rare Breed since it is $11 cheaper in NC and probably significantly cheaper in most states. Just know you cannot go wrong with either purchase. I also have to mention I love the bottle design. It looked cheap upon first glance, but it has 2 things that are much better than most bottles. I can't tell if the top is real or fake wood but it feels good in the hand and fits snugly around the mouth. The real advantage to this bottle is the tapered mouth with thin glass. Most bottles have thick glass and a straight mouth, which leads to a wide pour and dribbling down the sides. This mouth produces a fantastic pour, I've never lost a drop. For me this is a bottle I'm keeping for other uses.