Today is National Cocktail Day

With one cancellation after another, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, one thing is still on, National Cocktail Day (today) along with International Whiskey Day on Friday, March 27th

The only thing, it looks like you’ll have to celebrate at home this year since all Chicago and Illinois bars are closed until March 30.

Thanks to Legent Bourbon you can make some of the cocktails served at Chicago’s best restaurants and watering holes at home.

East meets West

Legent, which was introduced in March of 2019, is a 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 blending. 

The Bourbon uses the Beam classic family recipe and is aged in wine and sherry casks before being blended with more Kentucky Straight Bourbon.

Craft Cocktails

Legent Bourbon has found its way into many of Chicago’s upscale restaurants including Proxi and Bar Kumiko, both in the Fulton River District. 

Try these at home

Until they reopen, you can make the Proxi and Bar Kumiko cocktails at home along with Legent’s recipe for the Kentucky Kyushiki.

Proxi’s Born A Ramblin’ Man, ($14 at the restaurant) is a unique cocktail featuring Legent Bourbon along with amaro liqueur, orange bitters, and maraschino. 

Bar Kumiko’s Legent Manhattan, ($19 at Bar Kumiko) is a take on a classic Manhattan. It is made with Legent Bourbon, Japanese ume and herbal liqueurs, vermouth, bitters, and is finished with a cherry. 

Legent’s Kentucky Kyushiki 

The Kentucky Kyushiki is a twist on the classic Old Fashioned:

• Recipe:
  2 parts Legent™ Bourbon
  ½ part Green Tea Simple Syrup
  2 – 4 dashes Lavender Bitters
  Lemon peel for garnish

Method: Stir all ingredients. Serve on the rocks in a double old-fashioned glass and garnish with an expressed lemon peel. 

To make the green tea simple syrup: 

• 1 cup of sugar
  1 cup of water
  1 green tea bag

Method: Put sugar, water and tea bag into a saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until sugar is dissolved. Squeeze tea bag and remove from syrup. Cool before using. 

About Legent

Legent is available in 750mL bottles (47% abv) in select markets throughout the United States for a suggested retail price of $34.99 USD. 

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