Noe and Fukuyo create Legent Bourbon

Jim Beam master distiller Fred Noe and Suntory chief blender Shinji Fukuyo have collaborated to create “one-of-a-kind” Legent Bourbon.

Legent has been created by Jim Beam master distiller Fred Noe and Suntory chief blender Shinji Fukuyo

Legent was distilled by Noe and began as a Kentucky straight Bourbon aged in wine and Sherry casks. Fukuyo then blended the whiskey with more Kentucky straight Bourbon, resulting in a “complex and layered whiskey”.

“Legent is really something special. As a Bourbon distiller, I enjoy breaking rules and creating new traditions,” said Noe. “It was a real honour collaborating with Shinji on what I think is different from anything out there in the Bourbon world.”

Bottled at 47% abv, Legent has “spice and fruity undertones” developed through its period of maturation in hand-selected wine and Sherry casks.

“I have always been fascinated by the flavour profiles that can be achieved through innovation,” said Fukuyo. “Using the historic Bourbon recipe of Fred’s family as a solid foundation, I was able to explore new taste profiles and reach a final product that reimagines what the future of Bourbon can be.”

Legent is priced at US$34.99 per 750ml bottle and is available in select markets throughout the US.

Takeshi Niinami, chief executive officer of Suntory Holdings, said: “Legent is the perfect articulation of the amazing things that can be achieved when two great cultures come together as one, sharing a unified vision to bring true innovation and best-in-class spirits to the world.

“This Bourbon honours Fred and the Beam family’s proud traditions while showcasing Shinji’s award-winning blending capabilities. Quite simply, it’s a Bourbon no one else could create.”