As a musical icon with over 200 million album sales and 32 Grammy wins to her name, alongside being a powerful voice for female empowerment globally, there’s very little else which Beyoncé has left to accomplish.
However her latest project is a truly intriguing one, aimed at shaking up the American whiskey market, with the launch of SirDavis: a brand developed in a partnership between Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and Moët Hennessy, a subsidiary of LVMH.
The project, which was originally codenamed ‘Destiny’ has been years in the making. It stems back to an approach made by the performer to the whisky makers at Moët Hennessy, looking for an American whiskey with a flavour profile similar to that of Japanese whisky, of which she was already an enthusiast.
The new whisky was created by LVMH’s multi-award winning Dr Bill Lumsden, who is perhaps more well known for his numerous successes with both Glenmorangie and Ardbeg single malt Scotch whiskies. Lumsden’s experiments led him to create a mixed mash-bill American whisky, comprising of 51% rye and 49% malted barley (so technically not a bourbon, given the absence of corn), which was first aged in conventional American white oak casks, but then receives a secondary maturation in ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry casks for around six to nine months.
‘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.’
The name of the whisky comes from Knowles-Carter’s paternal great-grandfather, Davis Hogue, who was a farmer and moonshiner during Prohibition times – the whisky going some way to celebrate and honour his legacy. His initials can be found inscribed into the base of the bottle.
‘When I discovered that my great-grandfather had been a moonshine man, it felt like my love for whisky was fated,’ said Knowles-Carter. ‘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.’
‘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 CEO of LVMH.
In keeping with the artist’s Texan roots, SirDavis is finished, blended and bottled in Texas, with a dedicated brand home to be opened in 2025.
Officially launched on 4 September across the US, along with the UK, France and Japan, the whisky is priced at $89 (£79) from Master of Malt, The Whisky Exchange and Selfridges and can also be preordered from SirDavis.com.
Tasing notes: SirDavis – American whisky – 44% abv – Non-chill filtered
Last month, Neil Ridley was one of the very first people in the UK to try the newly created whisky.
On the nose: Spices including cinnamon, cloves and ginger arrive first, with a sweet candied orange peel, warming toffee notes and a touch of oak.
On the palate: A rich blend of dried fruit, vanilla-led custard and toffee, a touch of white pepper and soft red fruit.