In the bottle: Sweet, rich and full of big sake notes; it really feels like you opened a bottle of sake or in this case a bottle of Dassia. The licorice really takes center stage along with dried fruits and canned peaches, which feel condensed with flavor, and at 39% alcohol there is basically nothing on the nose that would indicate so.

On the rocks: Just like the nose, the sweetness and the familiar sake notes you typically find with Dassai sake really come through in a big way which, at first, makes this feel a bit head heavy in the mouthfeel department. That being said, once the big impact notes of sake subside a little, this really opens up in a great way by letting some of the softer notes rise to the surface, until then, it's really like drinking a condensed sake. While certainly not my favorite Kasutori Shochu, if you are a fan of Dassai sake then it is worth trying if you are willing to fork over ~3800 JPY.

水割り Diluted with water

4:1, 3:2 ratio: Not only does this hold up with a little water, it really opens up with some added depth as the licorice fades away, and some of the lighter sake notes get some time to shine. In addition to the peach and dried fruit, there are some nice black pepper, and vanilla tootsie roll notes that add a little more to the overall flavor profile.