In the bottle: Right from the start you get these big rice/toasted rice notes, followed by caramel, custard, and vanilla. Overall these feel a bit dry, not sticky sweet. If you really give it a good sniff, you can catch some really nice fresh citrus that ties everything together nicely. The alcohol plays a little on the finish and rounds everything off well.

On the rocks: Just like in the bottle, what first hits the tongue is a beautiful wash of rice/toasted rice, caramel, custard, and vanilla—typically sweeter notes; however, instead of heavy and rich, you get crisp and fresh. This makes Hitsuki incredibly drinkable. Drinking this on the rocks really gives a summer vibe and feels like it would make a great go-to on a hot summer night.

Straight: Highly enjoyable neat in the glass. The sweeter notes come through a bit stronger than on the rocks, but nothing feels too heavy. Additionally, the finish remains nice and fresh, making this a shōchū you can easily have more than one glass of.

水割り Diluted with Water:

4:1 ratio: Certainly not bad, but not my favorite way to enjoy Hitsuki. The dilution softens things too much and takes away some of the brightness and definition that shine on the rocks or neat.