In the bottle: As with most good kasutori shōchū, the nose is pure sake—elegant and full of those familiar beautiful flavors: lychee, peach, licorice, and custard. At 30% ABV, it feels light and fresh, exactly like something meant for a hot summer night. (FYI: summer has now turned into autumn, but it’s still mid-30s here, so plenty more chances to enjoy it this way.)

On the rocks: Chilled with a little water from the melted ice really makes you feel like you’re drinking sake. The fruity notes (peach and lychee especially) come forward much more than the richer custard and cocoa you get neat. The 30% alcohol does a great job on the finish, carrying the peach and lychee through cleanly. As the ice continues to melt, the flavors become crisper and clearer—the sweet fruit gradually gives way to a little licorice and cocoa. Absolutely delicious and very easy to keep sipping. 

Straight: Other than the obviously higher alcohol (30%), Denshu drinks just like sake even at room temperature. What really stands out is the silky smoothness and the cocoa finish, punctuated by a well-balanced custardy sweetness that never gets in the way of the other flavors. Interestingly, the fruity notes so clear on the nose are not really present here, so I decided to try a chilled glass to see if anything rises to the surface.

Straight @ Chilled: Or I should say super chilled—probably a bit too cold at first, as the alcohol comes forward more prominently. But after it warms up a little, the fruity sake notes come back beautifully, and the alcohol takes a back seat, letting everything shine. The peach, lychee, and light custard reappear clearly, with the smoothness staying intact. A good reminder that chilling works well here, but not too extreme.