In the bottle: Deep, rich and velvety sums up this incredibly fragrant Kasutori Shochu that has been aged about 16 years (not sure in what). Mukyō Ranman does a great of getting you ready for what is in the bottle with that initial impact; however, there is more going on as once this opens up a bit more, a range of fresh sake notes start to take center stage, lychee, peach, a bit of chocolate and licorice ebb and flow which give this a lot more complexity. The 30% alcohol stays in its lane and does a great job of carrying the softer vapours to the surface, overally, the anticipation is high for the first sip.     

On the rocks: Truly something to be enjoyed and sipped slowly. Right from the start, Mukyō Ranman comes across as refined and well balanced; especially between fresh and sweet. What I find really enjoyable is how the sake notes are transformed through the long-term aging which results a beautiful maturity that brings this Kasutori Shochu to another level. 

Straight: Incredibly chocolatey, which was not what I was expecting, there is also a pleasant sharpness that hits just before some of the sweeter elements start to come forward. The finish hits all the right buttons, mature syrupy fruits on one end and rich and chocolatey on the other, overall a really great way to enjoy Mukyō Ranman. 

Paired with Chocolate: Tonny's 70% dark chocolate, right from the first sip there is an intense chocolate wave that is just so smooth and matches perfectly with this aged Kasutori Shochu. The aging here adds a nice richness that binds well with chocolate giving a good bit of fruitiness which gives a nice balance of sweet and sour; overall, a really great pairing.