In the bottle: Beautifully inviting, and much more than I was expecting, especially in terms of the sweet potato which comes pouring through loud and clear (this aversion might be due to my bad luck with 900ml bottles of shochu which tend to be more miss than hit). What I really like about Mr. Toshi Densetsu is how fresh this comes across and how well this matches a hot Hiroshima night. Aside from all that sweet potato up front, you can find some nice mature and candied vanilla as well as some cereal notes that tie this all together. Overall, this builds a high anticipation for what is in the glass (which, absolutely does not disappoint).

On the rocks: Just delicious, simply delicious, on the first sip you get strong impact notes of sweet potato, candied & mature vanilla and bits of cereal grains all backed by a refreshing mouthfeel that really makes this a bottle to enjoy a couple glasses of without getting bored; opening this bottle in summer instead of winter was a good choice. As the ice melts Mr. Toshi Densetsu mellows out quite a bit and the sweeter notes really rise to the surface, and the finish moves to more of an ebb and flow between vanilla and sweet potato, which makes this something to sip and enjoy (then go back and refill the glass). 

Straight: Soft and sweet at the start with a ting of alcohol (nothing too off-putting, just lets you know it is there), the second sip is less sharp which gives the vanilla a bit of breathing room, especially on the finish. What I really enjoyed about Mr. Toshi Densetsu neat in the glass was the sweet potato which comes across as delicate and pure. On a hot July night in Hiroshima, I cannot say this is the best way to enjoy this; but it certainly is not bad either. 

Paired with Chocolate: Soft and sweet at the start with a ting of alcohol (nothing too off-putting, just lets you know it is there), the second sip is less in your face, overall this is not a bad pairing, just not the best.