In the bottle: Truly something to be appreciated; as soon as you open Ejanon Onboraato the sake notes burst forth with a full bouquet of rich, decadent chocolate, dried fruits, apricots and a bit of the syrupy part of a Tarte Tatin for good measure. All of this richness comes across in the form of mature flavors, which really gives a feeling of the aging and mellowing this went through, which in this case I learned is the Shiji-Jukujo method where fresh shochu is added to the original aged batch of shochu to provide a stable flavor profile. Overall, what is in the bottle really builds the anticipation for what is in the glass.

On the rocks: Unbelievably smooth, rich and with the perfect level of sweetness to give this balance and decadence all in one glass. While the nose was full of a range of sake notes, Ejanon Onbaraato in the glass provides some serious chocolate vibes on the front end and toward the finish a bit of dried fruits and syrupy peaches. Even with all the focus on the sweeter side. this comes across as light enough to have a couple of glasses, especially on a hot summer night.

Straight: 4:1,

Paired with Chocolate: Tony's Chocolonely, 70% chocolate, absolutely pure magic from start to finish, the cocoa explodes with a velvety rich chocolate backed with a mix of fresh and mature sake notes. If there was ever a shochu to use as an ingredient in a dessert, this is clearly a top choice.