Beyoncé Toasts Texas Roots with New Whisky, SirDavis

Beyoncé's new whiskey brand honors her great-grandfather, Davis Hogue, a farmer and moonshiner.

Beyoncé has teamed up with Moët Hennessy to create SirDavis, a new American whisky brand that pays homage to her family’s roots.

SirDavis is named after Beyoncé Knowles-Carter's paternal great-grandfather, Davis Hogue, a farmer and moonshiner during Prohibition in the American South. The whisky represents a continuation of Hogue's legacy, moving from hidden bottles stashed in cedar trees to a proudly displayed premium spirit.

"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," Beyoncé said in a statement announcing the partnership. "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."

The whisky is finished, blended, and bottled in Texas, making SirDavis the first spirits brand developed entirely by Moët Hennessy in the United States.

To ensure the whisky's distinctiveness, Moët Hennessy enlisted the expertise of Dr. Bill Lumsden, a renowned master distiller. According to the brand, Lumsden crafted a unique mash bill for SirDavis, comprising 51% rye and 49% malted barley, creating a whisky that merges the elegance of Japanese and Scotch traditions with the bold flavors of 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."

SirDavis has already garnered acclaim, winning Best in Class for American Whiskey at the 2023 SIP Awards. It also earned a Gold Medal at the 2023 New York International Spirits Competition and a 93-point rating from the 2023 Ultimate Spirits Challenge.

The tall, ribbed glass bottle features a black medallion with a bronzed horse, symbolizing strength and respect, and paying homage to Knowles-Carter's Texas roots.

SirDavis will retail for $89 and is currently available for pre-order through SirDavis.com. It will be available in stores across the U.S., as well as in select locations in London, Paris, and Tokyo, starting in September 2024.