Beyonce Knowles-Carter has joined forces with Moët Hennessy, a subsidiary of LVMH, to create a new whisky called SirDavis.
Moët Hennessy said the first-of-its-kind joint venture reflected their shared vision around the future of American whisky.
It follows the singer debuting in April at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with her latest album, Cowboy Carter.
Knowles-Carter, a Japanese whisky enthusiast, sought out Moët Hennessy to help craft a one-of-a-kind flavour profile that reflected her whisky ideal. Meanwhile, Moët Hennessy had been exploring ways to deepen its presence in the American whisky market, making the timing kismet for a partnership between the world-leading luxury group and Knowles-Carter.
“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,” the singer said.
“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 honour of Davis Hogue, Knowles-Carter’s paternal great-grandfather, who was a farmer and a moonshiner in the American South during Prohibition. He stashed whisky bottles in the empty knots of cedar trees for friends and kin to find and enjoy. For Knowles-Carter, it was this discovery that made the idea of creating a whisky brand feel predestined. Four generations later, the legacy comes to life – rather than hidden in the trees, bottles of SirDavis proudly grace the top shelves of fine purveyors of spirits around the world.
“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 Beyonce Knowles-Carter,” said Bernard Arnault, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of LVMH.
Moët Hennessy tapped 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, to lead on whisky creation.
Lumsden selected the brand’s bespoke mash bill — one of the rarest new offerings in the world of American whisky 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 an elegant mouthfeel and texture reminiscent of Japanese and Scotch whiskies, while retaining the robust and deep flavours typical of classic American rye.
“With SirDavis, we looked to challenge the category norms and offer something new in the space,” said Lumsden. “The distinctive grain selection and unusual secondary maturation in sherry casks helped us achieve a signature profile completely unique to SirDavis, one of bold sophistication.”
Beyonce whisky already an award winner
Beyonce anonymously submitted her SirDavis whisky to numerous prestigious spirits competitions prior to launch. It won Best In Class for American Whiskey in the 2023 SIP Awards, outperforming over 100 other entries in the category.
Other notable scores include a Gold Medal (95 points) from the 2023 New York International Spirits Competition and a 93-point rating from the 2023 Ultimate Spirits Challenge. Knowles-Carter also lent her visionary artistic direction to the brand’s bottle design – a tall, eye-catching bottle with intentional design elements that make the vessel an unmistakable beacon of luxury.
The SirDavis bottle is striking and clean, with ribbed glass that beautifully catches light and highlights the liquid. It also features a black medallion with a regal bronzed horse, emblematic of strength and respect and symbolizing Knowles-Carter’s Texas roots.
In another nod to Knowles-Carter’s Southern heritage, the whisky is finished, blended and bottled in her home state of Texas. Unlike other acquired brands, SirDavis also makes history as Moët Hennessy’s first spirits brand developed entirely internally by Moët Hennessy in the United States. SirDavis is headquartered out of Houston, Texas.
SirDavis has gone on sale in the United States for $89. It will be released in London, Paris, and Tokyo in September 2024. No word yet on an Australia release, stay tuned …
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