Distiller Notes
2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition Gold Medal Winner
Legent is a bourbon, but it’s unlike anything you’ve ever tried because it’s unlike anything that’s ever been created. It’s an unprecedented collaboration between two whiskey legends – Fred Noe, from the founding family of bourbon and Jim Beam’s seventh-generation Master Distiller, and Shinji Fukuyo, from the founding house of Japanese whisky and Suntory’s fifth-ever Chief Blender. For Fred and Shinji, Legent started as a passion project, a chance to continue their pursuit of mastery. Even after numerous awards and reaching the pinnacle of their respected whiskey-making worlds, Fred and Shinji realized there was much they could learn from one another. That they could push bourbon’s boundaries as well as their own. Leaning into the heritage of Kentucky bourbon-making and Japanese whisky-blending techniques, Legent brings the best of two whiskey worlds together. But landing on the final recipe for Legent took Fred and Shinji years of sitting, talking, tasting and meticulous decision-making. The result is an entirely new way to create bourbon that transcends the broader whiskey category. It’s a bourbon with a flavor profile unlike anything else, one that stands out in a cocktail or can be easily enjoyed neat or on the rocks. Legent truly is a bourbon as unique as the two whiskey legends who made it.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
A collaboration between Kentucky Bourbon-distiller Fred Noe and chief blender Shinji Fukoyo of Japan’s Suntory, this Bourbon is partially finished in wine and Sherry casks. The result is a caramel-rich nose and palate that reads almost like dulce de leche with a pleasantly silky texture. There’s a hint of dried fruit and spice on the exit. Best Buy
Although Bourbon may be produced anywhere in the United States, it is most commonly associated with Bourbon County, Kentucky, where it has been produced since the late 18th century. Made from a mash bill containing at least 51% corn, the Bourbon Whiskey distillate must be aged in new, charred white oak barrels. Bourbon Whiskeys are bottled at eighty proof (40% abv) or higher and cannot contain any added color or flavor. A versatile spirit that can be sipped neat, with water or on the rocks, it also performs nicely added to cocktails like the Old Fashioned.