In the bottle: Crystal clear and a bit on the neutral side; however, as this opens up a bit there is a nice wash sweet potato and a little toasted wheat or cereal notes that find there way to the surface. Additionally there is a fresh sweetness that starts to come forward at the end along with a slightly flowery scent; overall this is really inviting and gives the impression of a well crafted shochu.

On the rocks: In the glass it is slightly cloudy, not nigori but a faint cloud; the first sip is an intensely fresh sweet potato that is sharp in just the right way. As the ice melts you get a fair bit more sweetness that is accompanied by some of that toasted wheat on the nose, this type of fragrance always reminds me of Oh's cereal, especially on the finish. From a drinkability standpoint, you can easily enjoy several glasses, it is not heavy in the glass and the sweetness never outstayed its welcome. This shinshu by Toji Junpei is fresh, clean and has the right balance of flavors that can easily pull you in for a second glass. ​

Straight: Toji Junpei Shinshu is absolutely stunning neat in the glass, the sweet potato on the front-end is rich and slightly nutty; reminds me a bit of dry roasted almonds and even a little peanut. As expected this was incredibly smooth and the depth of the flavors keep bringing you back for another sip. The finish also excels as it ebbs and flows with a nice sweetness which lets the alcohol continue to carry those notty notes all the way to the end.