165: Two Whiskey Legends Collaborate To Create Unique Kentucky Bourbon: Legent

The American Whiskey Ambassador for the James B. Beam Distilling Company joins Bourbon Lens today to talk about all things Beam and we enjoy some pours of Legent Bourbon with Beth Burrows. We discuss the origin story of this unique finished Kentucky Bourbon which we’ve not tasted since way back in episode 11 of the Bourbon Lens.  It’s been a while since that episode and we were excited to be re-introduced to Legent which may have been slightly ahead of its time nearly 3 years ago.  

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About Legent Bourbon:

Legent® is a Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey partially finished in wine and sherry casks. But it's more than that. It pushes the boundaries for how bourbons can be created while remaining true to the core of bourbon's principles. It's a collaboration between two whiskey legends – Fred Noe & Shinji Fukuyo – and two unique styles of whiskey making.

Legent has brought together over 225 years of bourbon-making heritage and nearly 100 years of Japanese whisky artistry. It's a unique collaboration between two of the world's most revered whiskey makers. And just like a traditional bourbon, Legent starts with premium grains, like corn, rye and malted barley, and is aged in select white oak barrels. Three different types of barrels are used to create the unique flavor profile of Legent. Each one imparts its own unique characteristics to this boundary-pushing bourbon.

Since his birth, Master Distiller Fred Noe's life has revolved around the distillery in one way or another. Always looking for new challenges, Legent was a chance to do something that nobody's ever done before. Create a unique bourbon by taking everything from his family's 225 years of making bourbon and combining it with the craft of Japanese blending.

From Japan to Scotland to Kentucky, Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo has traveled the world over learning, studying and perfecting the art of blending whiskey and distilling spirits. For him, Legent presented numerous unique challenges. Bourbon isn't a spirit that's blended routinely. He also wanted to honor Fred's family heritage and produce a unique bourbon of the highest quality. After years of tasting, testing and refining the recipe with Fred, Legent has become another step in Shinji's pursuit of mastery.

Like any bourbon, it all starts with the grains. But unlike any other bourbon, how Legent ends up in your glass is a completely unique process. Fred and Shinji each played an integral, collaborative role in the creation of this truly unique bourbon.

For generations, seven actually, Fred's family has been making bourbons loved the world over. Each starts with premium grains, like corn, rye and malted barley, and is aged in select white oak barrels so it can become a traditional bourbon.

For most bourbons, this is where their journeys would end. But not Legent.

Legent is aged again in sherry and red-wine casks where it picks up several unique flavors. Then Shinji meticulously blends these secondary-finished bourbons with more Kentucky straight bourbon. Blending allows Shinji to balance, add and unlock layers of complex flavors.

Whether you're being served Legent by your favorite bartender or you're pouring it for friends at home, this unique bourbon's distinct flavor profile comes to life when the first drop hits the glass. That's why Fred and Shinji collaborated and used generations of knowledge, skill and technique to make sure every sip of Legent is worth savoring and sharing.

About Beth Burrows:

American Whiskey Ambassador - James B. Beam Distilling Company

A New York native, Beth has led a life rooted in hospitality. Raised by a chef, in a family of educators, she started developing her palate early on. Through the years, she found her passion for educating and public speaking- especially on the topics closest to her heart.

Beth’s love of whiskey came many years later while she was working behind the stick in Louisville, Kentucky. It was there that she quickly fell in love with the history and the chemistry behind American Whiskey and started her love affair with cocktail creation. Her whiskey journey really picked up when Down One Bourbon Bar opened their doors in 2013. Through her development of bar programs and unique creations of whiskey-centric entertainment, she had the opportunity to collaborate with titans of the industry on inimitable and quirky projects directly in the heart of Whiskey Row. Over the span of three years, she moved through the ranks- from server to General Manager, where she garnered respect and praise from both colleagues and guests.

Five years ago, Beth joined the team at Beam Suntory. Known for her enthusiasm and approachable style, as an American Whiskey Ambassador, she strives to be the human embodiment of the Kentucky Hug. She utilizes her broad spirits education, industry background, and continued community involvement to help cultivate an unpretentious environment in the world of whiskey, starting right in the backyard of bourbon. Throughout the year, she works with our Distillery teams to remain close to the ever-expanding campus and operations. She also curates educational entertainment, participates in tasting panels, and helps develop new products. In normal times, you can find her at Whiskey dinners and Cocktail Events across the country sharing 226 years of the Family’s legacies with friends on their own whiskey journeys. But don’t be surprised when you run into her at your favorite cocktail bars, especially the ones with pup- friendly patios.

If online is more your speed, you can also catch her on the Sunday Porch Sessions broadcast the last Sunday of every month over on The Blend’s IGTV.

When she is not spreading the good word of the James B. Beam Distilling Co. or working to uncover the perfect spirit & food pairings, you can find her wandering nature with her camera or on a Netflix binge of documentaries, zombie movies, and her favorite sitcoms for the thirty- seventh time.

Beth was recently named as the D&I Chair for The Bourbon Society.

 

Show Links:

• Legent Bourbon
• Jim Beam Announces Legent: A New Bourbon With A Japanese Accent 
• All 8 Jim Beam Bourbon Brands, Blind Taste Tested And Ranked
• Legent Bourbon To Launch Cocktail Omakase Series Across The United States
• Legend of Whisky: Shinji Fukuyo, Japanese distillers, Suntory
• Suntory chief blender Shinji Fukuyo tells you how to drink whisky | dekantā
• Know The Finer Points Of Japanese Whisky From Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo 
• An Oral History of Bourbon Part I: Fred and Freddie Noe | VinePair
• America's First Family of Bourbon Unveils New Distillery that Pushes the Boundaries of What American Whiskey Can Be
• Interview: Suntory Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo | WhiskyCast
• Japanese Whisky: Interview With Suntory's Master Blender 
• Fred B. Noe Distillery Will Be Jim Beam's Home for Whiskey Experiments – Robb Report
• Kentucky Meets Kyoto in Legent, a New Beam Suntory Bourbon | Food & Wine 
• How Beam Suntory's Shinji Fukuyo created a whisky blend for India