Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has joined forces with Moët Hennessy to launch a new American Whisky – SirDavis – named after her great-grandfather.
The joint venture reflects a shared vision between Knowles-Carter and Moët Hennessy around the future of American whisky, that was years in the making.
Knowles-Carter, a Japanese whisky enthusiast, sought out Moët Hennessy to help craft a one-of-a-kind flavor profile that reflected her whisky ideal. Meanwhile, Moët Hennessy had been exploring ways to deepen its presence in the American whisky market.
“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 SirDavis Founder Beyoncé Knowles-Carter. “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. In partnering with Moët Hennessy, we have crafted a delicious American whisky that respects tradition but also empowers people to experience something new and unique in the category. You can taste it better than I could ever tell you — welcome, SirDavis.”
SirDavis is named in honor of Davis Hogue, Knowles-Carter’s paternal great-grandfather, who was a farmer and a moonshiner in the American South during Prohibition.
“SirDavis is not only a revelatory and exceptional American Whisky, 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 Chief Executive Officer of LVMH.
Dr. Bill Lumsden, one of the world’s most awarded and highly regarded Master Distillers for his work on Scotch whisky brands Glenmorangie and Ardbeg, has partnered with Knowles-Carter to create the whisky.
Lumsden selected the brand’s bespoke mash bill —composed of 51% rye and 49% malted barley — to serve as the backbone of the liquid. Lumsden then combined traditional whisky-making techniques to impart a mouthfeel and texture reminiscent of Japanese and Scotch whiskies, while retaining the flavors typical of classic American rye.
SirDavis is already winning awards; the liquid was anonymously submitted to numerous prestigious spirits competitions prior to launch. SirDavis won Best In Class for American Whiskey from the 2023 SIP Awards, 95 points and Gold from the 2023 New York International Spirits Competition, and 93 points from the 2023 Ultimate Spirits Challenge.
Knowles-Carter also lent her artistic direction to the brand’s bottle design. The SirDavis bottle features a black medallion with a bronzed horse, symbolizing Knowles-Carter’s Texas roots. The whisky is finished, blended and bottled in her home state of Texas.
SirDavis retails for $89 and is available for pre-order via SirDavis.com. The product will be available at retail across the U.S. as well as in select airports (LAX/JFK/SFO) and stores in London, Paris, and Tokyo in September 2024.
