The nose presents first as umami, but very quickly develops into a rich, earthy sweetness. Notes of strawberry candy, unsalted butter, earthy sweet potato, and a subtle herbaceousness. The palette is rich and sweet with the sweet butter and earth presenting quite strongly. That candy strawberry, the kind you might expect from the desk at a bank, are still present. The finish, having good length, is slightly minty and bitter, with the earth becoming supported by pleasant cooking herbs and a slight vegetalness. This is my first time trying imo shochu, and it is delicious. Rich, precisely sweet, and complex. Highly recommended.