In the bottle: At first this feels very soft and not overpowering; however, once you get in there, you are treated to a beautiful rice shochu nose, with little bits of vanilla and toasted rice. With a little oxygen, Mushagaeshi starts to open with slight sweetness along with some earthy notes almost like musty hay. Overall Mushagaeshi has a really refined nose that gives a clear impression on what is in the bottle, all of which is really inviting and definitely builds the anticipation for that first sip. 

On the rocks: Speaking of that first sip, right of the bat there is a strong rice shōchū taste full of peaks and valleys which is quite an experience. Once the intensity subsides, Mushagaeshi gives way to a mellow toasted rice flavor that lingers nicely and reminds me of a vanilla and caramel, absolutely enjoyable. As the ice melts a bit this becomes so smooth, with all of the key flavor notes still front and center. This is certainly one of the best bottles I have opened in 2022, and I need to explore more of what Jufuku has to offer.

Straight: At first this starts out a bit sharp; however that quickly fades into a wash of sweet toasted rice and bit of grain as well as a bit of mature vanilla. Overall, Mushagaeshi is really smooth neat in the glass, and you get a more intense finish full of rice, vanilla and milk caramel that hangs around letting you enjoy one sip at a time. 

水割り Diluted with water

4:1, 3:2 ratio, Definitely the magic ratio for enjoying a few glasses, flavors remain strong with a nice toasted rice and light caramel finish that lingers.

2:3 ratio, Becomes very smooth and light with a less pronounced toasted rice flavor but the light caramel finish remains and reminds me of stroopwafels. 

Paired with Chocolate: A really nice pairing, the 70% chocolate takes on an even richer cocoa flavor and the toasted rice that reminds me of those old Crackle candy bars with the rice krispies inside, all this is backed by that typical cherry liquor notes I usually find with pairing.