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Beyoncé launches SirDavis whiskey with Moët Hennessy
Global megastar Beyoncé has joined forces with Moët Hennessy to launch SirDavis, an American whiskey with Japanese influence, named after her great grandfather.
Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has entered the world of premium spirits, releasing SirDavis whiskey in partnership with drinks giant Moët Hennessy, which has been looking to strengthen its presence in the US whiskey market for some time.
According to a release, Beyonce sought out Moët Hennessy to help craft her perfect blend, and the drinks company assigned highly decorated Master Distiller Dr. Bill Lumsden, who has worked on Scotch whisky brands Glenmorangie and Ardbeg, to lead the task.
SirDavis is named after Davis Hogue, Beyoncé’s paternal great-grandfather; a farmer and a moonshiner in the American South during Prohibition. Hogue stashed his whisky bottles in the empty knots of cedar trees – now, four generations later, Beyoncé’s whisky will grace the shelves of high-end retailers including Selfridges, Master of Malt, The Whisky Exchange, Hedonism and Berry Bros.
“I’ve always been drawn to the power and confidence I feel when drinking quality whisky and wanted to invite more people to experience that feeling,” says Beyoncé.
“When I discovered that my great-grandfather had been a moonshine man, it felt like my love for whisky was fated. SirDavis is a way for me to pay homage to him, uniting us through a new shared legacy.”
The bespoke mash bill (composed of 51% rye and 49% malted barley) used in SirDavis is, according to Lumsden, one of the rarest in the world of American whiskey. The team also strived to impart “an elegant mouthfeel and texture reminiscent of Japanese and Scotch whiskies” alongside the “robust and deep flavours” more typical of classic American rye.
“In partnering with Moët Hennessy, we have crafted a delicious American whiskey that respects tradition but also empowers people to experience something new and unique in the category,” says Beyoncé.
Lumsden added that the pair wanted to “challenge category norms and offer something new in the space”, which they achieved through the whiskey’s “distinctive grain selection and unusual secondary maturation in sherry casks” to create its signature profile of dark, juicy red fruits and spices like clove and cinnamon.
Hands on
Beyoncé was also hands on in designing the the brand’s ribbed glass bottle, which features a black medallion with a bronzed horse, said to symbolise the personal qualities of strength and respect, as well as Beyoncé’s Texas roots. SirDavis is finished, blended and bottled in her home state of Texas, and the brand is headquartered in Houston.
SirDavis is the first spirits brand developed entirely internally by Moët Hennessy in the United States, but joins Moët Hennessy’s wider global spirits portfolio, which includes among others Ao Yun, Ardbeg, Belvedere, Glenmorangie, Hennessy and Volcán de mi Tierra.
“SirDavis is not only a revelatory and exceptional American Whiskey, which we are very proud of. It is also a testament of the unwavering dedication to craftsmanship, heritage and innovation shared by LVMH and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter,” said Bernard Arnault, chairman and CEO of LVMH.
SirDavis will retail for £79 and will be available throughout the UK, US, Paris and Tokyo from September 2024, as well as in select airports (LAX/JFK/SFO).
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