The inevitable has finally arrived. Between Beyoncé’s many lyrical references and hints dropped in Instagram posts and interviews, it was clear a new level of icon was on the horizon—we just had to trust the process and timing. “Sometimes it takes a year for me to personally search through thousands of sounds to find just the right kick or snare,” the 32-time Grammy winner told Harper’s Bazaar in 2021, a year before dropping her game-changing Renaissance album. She added, “I feel a renaissance emerging and I want to be part of nurturing that escape in any way possible. … [T]here’s nothing like the amount of love, passion, and healing that I feel in the recording studio.”
But Renaissance was just the beginning of the vocal superstar’s rebirth as a visionary. Now, kismet and opportune timing have struck again in Beyoncé’s favor—but this time like, like liquor—like, like, like liquor.
The singer can add founder of a groundbreaking whisky brand to her long list of titles. SirDavis is a first-of-its-kind joint venture between Bey and Moët Hennessy. Earlier this summer, I was part of a select international group of journalists invited to an exclusive tasting of the new spirit with its creators: Dr. Bill Lumsden, legendary five-time International Whisky Competition Master Distiller of the Year; and whiskey blender Cameron George, Ardbeg’s former national ambassador and recently appointed global head of advocacy.
SirDavis has been years in the making, ever since Beyoncé—a longtime fan of Japanese whiskies—reached out to Moët Hennessy for help crafting a trailblazing whisky with a unique flavor profile that mirrored her own palate. At the same time, Moët Hennessy had been exploring ways to deepen its presence in the American whiskey market, and voilà—the serendipitous timing resulted in a dynamic new partnership. Beyoncé worked heavily with the crème de la crème of the whiskey world to nail the recipe, keeping it true to her identity and taste without jeopardizing the quality. Much as Renaissance and last spring’s follow-up, Cowboy Carter, have done, SirDavis aims to redefine our idea of American whiskey while also welcoming new drinkers into the world of luxury spirits. The launch of SirDavis follows other entrepreneurial ventures from the singer over the last year, including her perfume Cé Noir and her haircare line, Cécred.
“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 about her latest venture. “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.”
The whisky also makes history as Moët Hennessy’s first American spirit brand developed entirely in-house Stateside: In a nod to Bey’s Lone Star State roots, SirDavis is headquartered in her hometown of Houston, and finished, blended, and bottled in Texas. It has an international flair as well, though, like Queen Bey herself, as an American whisky. Traditionally, grain spirits made in Scotland, Canada, and Japan drop the e, while beverages distilled in the United States or Ireland use it. But in keeping with her global star power and penchant for bucking the conventional, Beyoncé has opted to present SirDavis as a whisky, no e. (SirDavis is also finished in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks, a common practice in scotch whisky production and a nod to—or fun jab at—purists.)
The SirDavis narrative and brand are imbued with a strong sense of place, thanks to Beyoncé’s Southern heritage. In the chorus of Cowboy Carter’s “Ameriican Requiem,” she proudly sings that she is the “grandbaby of a moonshine man,” and The whisky is named in honor of her paternal great-grandfather Davis Hogue, a farmer and moonshiner in the South during Prohibition. He stashed whiskey bottles in the empty knots of cedar trees for loved ones to find and enjoy. In other words, being part of America’s whiskey scene is literally in Bey’s DNA.
I’d be remiss if we didn’t walk down memory lane recalling the times Beyoncé has mentioned whiskey, in lyrics as well as on social media. In April, Beyoncé shared an Instagram post showing herself and husband Jay-Z at a Japanese whisky tasting. A video featured footage of Glencairn glasses holding drafts of prestigious Japanese single-malt brands, including Yamazaki and Hakushu 18, as well as bottles labeled “Mystery” in the lineup. She has also referenced Yamazaki in several songs, including “6 Inch,” featuring the Weeknd, on which she sings: “Her Yamazaki straight from Tokyo.” On “Lovehappy,” from the 2018 album she and Jay-Z released as the Carters, she mentions “sipping Yamazaki on the rocks.” And in September 2015, the Daily Mail reported that the singer had indulged in some Yamazaki 18 on the rocks on an extravagant dinner date. So, bottom line: Bey’s been about that whisky life.
In an evolution from American whiskey category norms, the SirDavis mash bill—the recipe that specifies the type and percentage of grains used to make the spirit—includes 51 percent rye and a notable 49 percent malted barley. Master distiller Lumsden mentioned that he, blender George, and Beyoncé tried several American and Irish whiskeys before landing on one “which was uniquely hers.”
“We could have played around and mixed scotch and Japanese whisky together, but I think that would have been disingenuous,” Lumsden said. “That’s why we sourced and found this unusual mash bill of already quite mature whisky. After many tasting meetings and recipe trials, she very much approved this final mash bill.” Yet, he says, the three of them still “all felt there was still something slightly missing to make it perfect, not just in taste but also the texture and mouthfeel.” Lumsden then combined some traditional whisky-making techniques to re-create the silkiness of Bey’s favorite scotches and Japanese whiskies—such as finishing SirDavis in the aforementioned Pedro Ximénez casks, to reveal more dark red fruit and baking spice notes—while preserving the robust flavors characteristic of classic American rye.
SirDavis has a pristine, tawny hue (thanks to that sherry-barrel finish), and the nose is an alluring blend of cinnamon and clove, with a faint hint of oak. The crispy bite of a cinnamon stick greets my palate upon first sip, before a crescendo into a more nuanced drinking experience, with waves of spicy heat. The velvety mouthfeel is complemented by a note of rich orange marmalade atop a buttery shortbread cookie, before rounding out with a subtle, sweet honey finish. It’s a sophisticated pour in which you can taste each intentional influence. And before you think I waxed poetic about SirDavis in my tasting notes merely because of Bey’s involvement, let me say that I made my those notes before being informed of the mastermind behind it.
I am also not the only whisky pro to testify to SirDavis’s supreme quality and taste. It was anonymously submitted to numerous prestigious spirits competitions before its launch and won multiple accolades, including Best of Class for American Whiskey at the 2023 SIP Awards, where it outperforming over 100 other entries in the category. Other distinguished honors include a gold medal (95 points) at the 2023 New York International Spirits Competition and a 93-point rating at the 2023 Ultimate Spirits Challenge.
Cameron George said, “This partnership came about very, very organically. It wasn’t as if Dr. Bill [Lumsden] had gone away and just sourced some whisky, and then we slapped [Beyoncé’s] name onto it—that’s not how this process worked at all. She is the founder of this brand. She’s had her hand in every piece of this brand, from the liquid profile to the brand world development.” Bey also lent her innovative artistic direction to the luxurious bottle: a tall, striking, ribbed glass vessel with intentional design elements, such as the black medallion bearing a majestic bronzed horse, illustrative of strength, confidence, and grace, as well as symbolizing the star’s Texas roots.
“There’s no question this whisky has Mrs. Knowles-Carter’s DNA in it,” Lumsden said. “And I felt that it was critically important to give the product gravitas and authenticity. So, this is her whisky.” I don’t like to gamble, but if there’s one thing I’m willing to bet on, it’s myself—and Beyoncé’s powerful prowess, cemented by her commitment to live authentically. And really, what more could you ask for in this life than to enjoy a good whisky in good company authentically? I’ll drink to that.
SirDavis is now available for preorder at sirdavis.com, and will be available in September at retailers across the United States, in select airports, and at stores in London, Paris, and Tokyo.
