I think this was the first time for me to drink from a wooden barrel. I remember well that it had a unique aroma that I had never experienced before, or rather the smell of wood.
Personally, I think it's like a white wine, but with less of a sake character. It's fragrant and fruity, and I can understand why it's highly regarded, but it doesn't seem like sake to me, I don't know why.
When I drank it for the first time, I thought it was "a sharp, slightly fruity sake", but the next time I drank it, I had the impression that it was "dry, refreshing and dry".
I don't remember the grade I drank at the time, so I can't say for sure, but maybe it was the grade, maybe it was my age...