It’s not often that two whiskey masterminds collaborate in the creation of something brand new. But Fred Noe, Jim Beam’s master distiller, and Shinji Fukuyo, Suntory Whisky’s chief blender, have been quietly working on this something new for the past several years. These two represent such different sides of the whiskey world, not just geographically, but fundamentally speaking. Now, they have unveiled the fruits of their labor. Legent Bourbon, a whiskey that could only be produced by combining the backgrounds and expertise of Noe and Fukuyo, has arrived.
Legent begins life as a Kentucky bourbon, matured for five years. This represents the biggest chunk of the final product. The two other pieces of the puzzle see that same bourbon get finished in different casks. The first parcel finishes in California red wine casks, and the second finishes in sherry casks. All are blended together by Fukuyo.
How did Noe and Fukuyo get the job done? First and foremost, by learning from each other.