How time flies. The first and, really, the only time I'd heard of Suntory was in the 2003 movie, "Lost in Translation" starring Bill Murray and the recent breakthrough actress, Scarlett Johansson. Over a decade later, in 2018, Johansson became the highest paid actress on the planet. That very same year I began to treat whiskey-drinking like the spectator sport it is. A re-encounter was inevitable. I started searching for new whiskies to try (and add to my collection), when I read about a Japanese one with a familiar name, 'Suntory'? Then it dawned on me, that's a real life whiskey! In 2003 when I had watched the movie, I assumed that this was a fictionalized brand. Still, I relegated the real life Suntory to the back of my mind, just as I had done the film. There were just too many bourbons, scotches, and other alternatives to try first. That is until recently, when @jonwilkinson7309 and I discussed a sample trade. Jumping out of that list was a Suntory, as attention demanding as the gleam on a katana blade. I didn't think twice - didn't even resist... 'Sign me up!' Now going into this, I had high hopes. [Not that I'd hope about much if I smoked dope.... isn't that the obvious reason people get high.... the apparent absence of hope?.. most of the time, except when I'm not drinking, I just hope to get high for free. But that probably isn't going to happen.. crooked health insurers.] Yeah, I thought this would be all gang-busters, shoot-em outs with one Yakuza clan going after another. But the reality was not so. On the nose: orchard fruits and vanilla. Youth also appears as ethanol. Youth then rears its head on the palate as well. It tastes hot, hotter than the stated 43% ABV. The flavor comes across as almost citrus-y at first sip. DOH! The alcohol heat, however, drops the initial citrus lollipop deterring it from turning effervescent. Follow on sips bear the palate and brain toward apples, pears, and vanilla. The higher ABV doesn't add much body, as the mouthfeel is a tad watery, but it does add to the heat. (Is it hot yet?) The finish is actually medium in length with a bit of drying woodchip. Adding water flattens the palate and body, but cools the heat down while muting the wood notes. Very fleeting, and one-note. I attempted to pull more flavor or texture out of this with a big swishing sip. But that still eluded me. It was very much like trying to tell a cat to 'Stay'. Good luck with that! True, this is missing the sophistication of a deeper-aged single malt. But, perhaps, I'm being overly critical here. All in all, a decent, light summer dram. I dare say, as an alternative to a traditional Old World whisky -- you could do worse. While the memory of this sip will get lost in the fog of time, the memory of the film and the Suntory brand will continue. Thanks @jonwilkinson7309 for my first encounter with J-whisky. I enjoyed the exchange! Tasted from a full 50ml sample. My Rating Glossary: Two Stars: "I'd rather be drinking lite beer." Two 1/2 Stars: "Posh rubbish." Three Stars: "I love whisk(e)y. This is average love." Three 1/2 Stars: "May buy again." Four Stars: "I've got to get you into my life." Four 1/2 Stars: "Better than drugs." Five Stars: "Life is good. Whisky makes it better."