Covering the people, the place, the pivotal moments, the distinct liquid style and the personality. Prepared for the Legent Brand Team, 8th November 2020
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THE DECK
MOMENTS
Legent is a tale of East meets West: An American product combined with the artistry of Japanese blending. Bringing together the boldness of bourbon and the refinement of Japanese whisky in one.Two styles, two cultures, and two masters.
One legendary bourbon.Legent captures 200 years+ of history and expertise of American and Japanese whisk(e)y craft, bringing it all together in one blend.This document outlines the history of the Legent brand, the personality and celebrated stories, and the distinguishing characteristics of the liquid itself.
The accounts and statements in this document form the DNA of the Legent brand. These truths shape the brand and help to define its future direction.
One legendary bourbon.Legent captures 200 years+ of history and expertise of American and Japanese whisk(e)y craft, bringing it all together in one blend.This document outlines the history of the Legent brand, the personality and celebrated stories, and the distinguishing characteristics of the liquid itself.
The accounts and statements in this document form the DNA of the Legent brand. These truths shape the brand and help to define its future direction.
Legent Timeline
2014
SUNTORY ACQUIRES BEAM
2016
IDEA FOR EAST MEETS WEST PROJECT 25 IS BORN
Summer 2016
LIQUID EXPERIMENTATION
October 2016
SERIES OF INTIAL LIQUIDS SHARED WITH TEAM
2017
NAME IDEATION, LIQUID WORK & MARKETING SUPPORT
August 2018
LEGENT LAUNCHED AT NATIONAL SALES MEETING
November 2018
FINAL LIQUID SELECTED
March 2019
LEGENT MARKET LAUNCH
Stories
ADVANCEMENT OF BOURBON
Heritage and Innovation
Combining the old to create the new. A unified experience of mastery and innovation, expertise and artistry, to produce a first of its kind.
Cultural Collaboration
The first families of American and Japanese whisk(e)y coming together, bridging cultures and elevating whisk(e)y styles, showcasing the true expertise of Beam and Suntory.
A New Process
From grain to barrel, American craft; from barrel to bottle, Japanese blending. In the glass, a bourbon unlike any other.
People
FRED NOE & SHINJI FUKUYO
Legent:
Two Legends. One Bourbon.
The Founding Families of American Bourbon and Japanese Whisky coming together in a continuous pursuit to hone their mastery of craft, giving birth to a classic Kentucky bourbon, defined by the art of Japanese blending.
Two Masters Come Together
Legent has brought together over 220 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. A true pursuit of Mastery.
Before the two Masters landed on a recipe, Fred and Shinji met and through the language of whisk(e)y and they worked to find a perfect balance.
Together they have created a bourbon that is the perfect example of both craftsmanship and expertise:
From Grain to Barrel: Fred Noe creates classic Kentucky bourbon, partially finished in red wine and sherry casks.
At the Barrel: Fred Noe and Shinji Fukuyo collaborate to define the liquid profile.
From Barrel to Bottle: Shinji Fukuyo blending the bourbons to refine and elevate the nuances.
It's a unique collaboration between two of the world's most revered whiskey makers. A true pursuit of Mastery.
Before the two Masters landed on a recipe, Fred and Shinji met and through the language of whisk(e)y and they worked to find a perfect balance.
Together they have created a bourbon that is the perfect example of both craftsmanship and expertise:
From Grain to Barrel: Fred Noe creates classic Kentucky bourbon, partially finished in red wine and sherry casks.
At the Barrel: Fred Noe and Shinji Fukuyo collaborate to define the liquid profile.
From Barrel to Bottle: Shinji Fukuyo blending the bourbons to refine and elevate the nuances.
Chief Blender, Shinji Fukuyo
Shinji began working at the Hakushu Distillery in 1984. His talents were noticed almost immediately, and he was invited to join the blending department. In 1996, Shinji was sent to Scotland. There, he learned the art of blending the beauty of Scottish spirits with Japanese craftsmanship.
In 2009, Shinji became just the fifth-ever Chief Blender in the almost 120-year history of Suntory. In 2013 his Yamazaki® Single Malt Sherry Cask won World Whisky of the Year.**
For Shinji, Legent™ presented numerous unique challenges. Bourbon isn’t a spirit that’s blended routinely. He also wanted to honor Fred Noe’s family heritage and produce a unique bourbon of the highest quality. After years of tasting, testing and refining, Legent has become another step in Shinji’s pursuit of mastery.
In 2009, Shinji became just the fifth-ever Chief Blender in the almost 120-year history of Suntory. In 2013 his Yamazaki® Single Malt Sherry Cask won World Whisky of the Year.**
For Shinji, Legent™ presented numerous unique challenges. Bourbon isn’t a spirit that’s blended routinely. He also wanted to honor Fred Noe’s family heritage and produce a unique bourbon of the highest quality. After years of tasting, testing and refining, Legent has become another step in Shinji’s pursuit of mastery.
Master Distiller, Fred Noe
Fred is a seventh-generation master distiller and great-great-grandson of Jim Beam. His father, Booker Noe II, is widely credited as the pioneer of the small batch bourbon movement.
Nearly 35 years ago, Booker gave Fred his first job at the distillery as the Night Shift Bottling Line Supervisor. From there Fred worked his way up, learning every job at the distillery.
In 2007 he was named Master Distiller of Jim Beam®. Under his guidance, Jim Beam® has become the #1 selling bourbon in the world. And in 2017, Booker’s® Rye Whiskey was named World Whisky of the Year.*
Fred is always looking for new challenges, and Legent™ was a chance to do something that nobody’s ever done before. To create a bourbon that brings together two worlds of whiskey making.
Nearly 35 years ago, Booker gave Fred his first job at the distillery as the Night Shift Bottling Line Supervisor. From there Fred worked his way up, learning every job at the distillery.
In 2007 he was named Master Distiller of Jim Beam®. Under his guidance, Jim Beam® has become the #1 selling bourbon in the world. And in 2017, Booker’s® Rye Whiskey was named World Whisky of the Year.*
Fred is always looking for new challenges, and Legent™ was a chance to do something that nobody’s ever done before. To create a bourbon that brings together two worlds of whiskey making.
Learning From Each Other
Fred and Shinji educated each other on the styles of whiskies they made.
In 2016 Shinji started to experiment with different casks. He relied on the bourbon education he received from Fred.
The two had many nosing sessions, tasting sessions together. They both spoke the language of whisk(e)y.
In 2016 November, they had a good idea as to how to approach it. And in 2017, they went to the Yamazaki distillery and tasted it together.
In 2016 Shinji started to experiment with different casks. He relied on the bourbon education he received from Fred.
The two had many nosing sessions, tasting sessions together. They both spoke the language of whisk(e)y.
In 2016 November, they had a good idea as to how to approach it. And in 2017, they went to the Yamazaki distillery and tasted it together.
‘I knew there was something we could do… [and] failure was not an option.’
~Fred Noe
Place
CLERMONT, KENTUCKY & OSAKA, JAPAN
The Heart & Home
Clermont, Kentucky
While the influence of Japanese tradition is key to the brand, the home and heart of Legent is Clermont, Kentucky. The core bourbon and the two finished streams all come from this distillery.
The Source of Artful Blending
Suntory Yamazaki Distillery
The Suntory distillery and Shinji’s blending facilities provide a unique source of inspiration for creating new blends.
Liquid
House Style Liquid
Mastery and Collaboration
Redefining a Kentucky Classic
Redefining a Kentucky Classic
Legent is a balanced, round and complex bourbon, refined by the art of Japanese blending.
- Rooted in the heritage and legacy of JBBD Co. Genuine Bourbon Making, from Grain to Barrel heroing the bourbon, the sherry and red wine casks, creating a rich, warm and oaky palette.
- Refined by the Japanese Art of Blending, from barrel to bottle, translating the bourbon as a complex, layered bourbon with a smooth, unexpectedly long finish.
‘Bourbons are bold, but Legent has mingled, rounded flavours.’
Fred Noe
‘Tannic and dried fruit aroma and multi-layered style is very rare in the bourbon world.’
Shinji Fukuyo
Kentucky Tradition with Japanese Detail
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Experience
THE FIRST SIP
Legent is a perfectly balanced and rounded Bourbon, but it’s also complex and layered. On your palate, it starts like a Bourbon – rich, warm, and oaky.
Then, like a Japanese whisky, you’ll notice both complex layers and a bright, smooth, unexpectedly long finish.
Combining these two unique styles of whiskey has created a highly versatile Bourbon that stands out in a cocktail or can be easily enjoyed neat or on the rocks.
Bourbon boldness, with a bright long finish.
This is the Legent experience.
Combining these two unique styles of whiskey has created a highly versatile Bourbon that stands out in a cocktail or can be easily enjoyed neat or on the rocks.
Bourbon boldness, with a bright long finish.
This is the Legent experience.
BALANCED, ROUND, COMPLEX
Two Key Cocktails
Fred and Shinji wanted to create drinks that would elevate the full process of the product – like a classic Old Fashioned, but with a Japanese detail.
Twelve recipes were developed, but only two were selected.
Twelve recipes were developed, but only two were selected.
Kentucky Kyushiki
The Signature Drink
- 2 parts Legent™ Bourbon
- 1/2 part green tea simple syrup
- 2–4 dashes lavender bitters
- Lemon peel for garnish
Stir all ingredients. Serve on the rocks and garnish with an expressed lemon peel.
Rising Sun
- 1 1/2 parts Legent™ Bourbon
- 1/2 part Rothman & Winter® Orchard Apricot Liqueur
- 1/2 part lemon juice 1/4 part simple syrup
Shake all ingredients. Strain into rocks glass with fresh ice.
Personality
Personality & Behavior
Ingenious
Legent masterfully combines two cultures and two styles of whisk(e)y in an ingenious and inspired way to create the new: a Masterstroke of a bourbon.
Progressive
Advancing American Bourbon through marrying it with artful Japanese blending techniques in a new process that unifies craft, tradition and legacy from East and West.
Welcoming
Driven by two masters’ passion for sharing their expertise, Legent was founded on the notion of creative collaboration and learning from one another, making it a warm and welcoming bourbon.
