Nose - Vanilla bean, oak, and cherry. Palate - Rich flavors, butter, soda bread, oak spice, deceptively strong. Finish - Oak, vanilla sweetness, and Cognac dryness. I enjoyed the extra French oak stave finishing from Maker's 46, but I wanted more of it and Maker's 46 Cask Strength Private Select delivered. This whiskey is dangerously good. Be warned, the extra proof is not noticeable and you need to be careful. On the nose, this does not smell different than the standard Maker's 46. The traditional bourbon vanilla sweetness and oak are still present, but not overwhelming. Surprisingly, even at 110.8 proof the alcohol vapor still is not present. On the palate, you are bombarded by a wall of flavor. The same Maker's 46 flavors are there but they are complimented with hints of syrup, oak, and raisin bread. Very tasty. The finish is long and clingy. The vanilla sweetness follows into the finish, along with the oak spice. The alcohol burn is completely absent. I purchased this online and I wish it was more readily available like the standard Maker's Mark Cask Strength. This is a spectacular whiskey.