I like what Wilderness Trail has brought to the table so far with their expressions; let’s see how this new one measures up. Nose is loaded with caramel, with some “new car seat” leather, pepper, clove, and a hint of char. Lack of ethanol a nice bonus. On the palate we get caramel, nougat, cashew nut, and nutmeg, with just enough oak note underneath to keep it from being cloying. Flavors are rounded rather than punchy. Finish finds the clove from the nose along with a spice bloom of cinnamon and allspice. The transition is smooth, but the finish is shorter than I would have liked. Mouthfeel is great; chewy and coating. Quite possibly the best part about this bourbon. So here’s the rub: while this is less sweet and less spikey than the four year version, I’m not 100% sold that this is an improvement for this flavor profile. I just found it to be a little flat. There’s nothing here that sucks mind you; but when you consider the upcharge of about $20 over the 4 yr expression, I just don’t see myself buying this again.