In the bottle: As with most good kasutori shochu, the nose is just pure sake; all of those beautifully elegant flavors are all there, from lychee and peach to licorice and custard. At 30% alcohol, it feels like light and fresh; like it was meant to be enjoyed on a hot summer night. (FYI, summer has now turned into autumn and still in the mid-30's, so more chances to enjoy)

On the rocks: Chilled with a little water dilution from the melted ice really makes you feel like you are drinking sake. The fruity notes are much more forward than the richer custard and cocoa flavors found neat in the glass, and the 30% alcohol does a great job on the finish to carry the peach and lychee through to the end. As the ice continues to melt the flavors become more crisp and clear, with the sweet fruit giving way to a little bit of licorice and cocoa, absolutely delicious.  

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

Straight @ Chilled: Or I should say super chilled in the freezer, most likely a bit too cold as this ends up a bit alcohol forward at first, but after it warms up a bit you can really enjoy the the fruity sake notes and the alcohol takes a back seat and lets everything shine.