FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_45-b15)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 25.45-b02, mixed mode)

ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Windows 7 (Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601])

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
"Arial Unicode MS" font is not rendered correctly when following conditions happen,

1) "Arial Unicode MS" font, bold style
2) Anti-aliasing is on
2) Rotated at an angle close to multiple of 90 degrees from CCM.

The text high is stretched a lot.

STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
Run the attached java code and check the font rendered on the screen

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
The text on the right should be look similar to the left but in bold style.
ACTUAL -
The high of the right text is stretched a lot.

REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------
package javarenderbug;

import java.awt.Font;
import java.awt.Graphics;
import java.awt.Graphics2D;
import java.awt.RenderingHints;
import java.awt.font.TextLayout;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JPanel;

/**
 * Text rendering bug - not correctly rendering 'Arial Unicode MS' font with Bold and anti-aliasing on.
 */
public class JavaRenderBug {

public static void main(String[] args) {
    
//Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_45-b15)
//Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 25.45-b02, mixed mode)
    System.out.println(System.getProperties());
    
    final JFrame frame = new JFrame();
    frame.setSize(600, 600);
    frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
    
// Specific Font
    final Font plain = new Font("Arial Unicode MS", Font.PLAIN, 22);
    final Font bold = new Font("Arial Unicode MS", Font.BOLD, 22);
    
    final JPanel panel = new JPanel(){
      
      /**
       * @see javax.swing.JComponent#paintComponent(java.awt.Graphics)
       */
      @Override
      protected void paintComponent(Graphics g) {
        
        String txt = "Gerbera";

// Rotate 1 degree CCW
((Graphics2D)g).rotate(Math.toRadians(-1));

// Anti-Aliasing On
((Graphics2D)g).setRenderingHint(RenderingHints.KEY_ANTIALIASING, RenderingHints.VALUE_ANTIALIAS_ON);

        // Ok.
        // For the PLAIN font, the text painted by g.drawString and the text layout are the same.
        g.setFont(plain);
        g.drawString(txt, 50, 150);

        
        TextLayout tl = new TextLayout(txt,
            plain,
            g.getFontMetrics(plain).getFontRenderContext());
        tl.draw((Graphics2D) g, 50, 200);
        
        
        
        // Not Ok.
        // For the BOLD font, the text painted by g.drawString and the text layout are NOT correct, the same as drawGlyphVector() (not shown).
        g.setFont(bold);
        g.drawString(txt, 150, 150);
        
        tl = new TextLayout(txt,
            bold,
            g.getFontMetrics(bold).getFontRenderContext());
        // Letters are overlapping..
        tl.draw((Graphics2D) g, 150, 200);
      }
    };
    frame.getContentPane().add(panel);
    frame.setVisible(true);
  }
}

---------- END SOURCE ----------

CUSTOMER SUBMITTED WORKAROUND :
Instead of draw the text directly with g2d, create the outline of the text and draw the outline shape with g2d. This workaround is very slow though (~26 times).