Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Moët Hennessy Launch SirDavis Whisky
Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has joined forces with Moët Hennessy to create SirDavis, a new American whisky. The joint venture reflects a shared vision between Knowles-Carter and Moët Hennessy, two vanguards of culture and craft, around the future of American whisky.
This unique product was years in the making after 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, 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,” SirDavis Founder Beyoncé Knowles-Carter said in a news release. “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. 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 grace the top shelves of 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 Beyoncé 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 flavors typical of classic American rye.
“With SirDavis, we looked to challenge the category norms and offer something new in the space,” Lumsden said. “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.”
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.
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 retails for $89 and is available for pre-order via SirDavis.com. 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.
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ABOUT SIRDAVIS AMERICAN WHISKY
A joint venture, SirDavis reflects a shared vision between Moët Hennessy and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter around the future of American whisky. With a distinctive taste profile that delights both seasoned whisky connoisseurs and new enthusiasts, SirDavis is on a mission to redefine the category and invite new consumers to feel welcome to participate in the world of luxury whisky.