No matter where you are in the world, chances are you know the name Beyoncé. Chart-topping singer-songwriter Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has been at the forefront of pop culture for decades, transcending the boundaries of musical genres and becoming one of the most-awarded female artists of all time in the process. Her mammoth music catalog aside, she’s also a shrewd businesswoman, with hands in many different jars, including fashion (Ivy Park), fragrance (Cé Noir) and haircare (Cécred). Now you can add whiskey to that list, with the debut of her newest brand: SirDavis American Whisky.
Beyoncé’s love of whisky (especially Japanese) is no secret, and she frequently slips mentions of it into her lyrics. Her most recent album, country-Americana hybrid Cowboy Carter, features the word “whisky” on multiple tracks, and on earlier albums, songs like “6 Inch” and “LOVEHAPPY” namedrop Yamazaki, a known Bey favorite.
When she was moved to create a whisky brand of her own, she approached LVMH subsidiary Moët Hennessy (which had previously partnered with her husband, rapper Jay-Z, on his Armand de Brignac Champagne) in the hopes of creating a new Japanese whisky; three years of countless tastings and tests later and she’s landed on an American rye instead, with the help of whisky whiz Dr. Bill Lumsden (the brains behind Ardbeg and Glenmorangie).
Dr. Bill and Bey began their partnership by trying all types of whisky—Japanese came first, then single-malt Scotch, then a mix of styles—but none of them were connecting. That’s when they decided to embark on an exploration of American styles, ultimately landing on a rye whiskey made from a mash bill (grain blend) of 51 percent rye and 49 percent malted barley that's similar to a gentler Maryland-style rye. It’s priced at $90 per bottle.
While SirDavis' age isn’t disclosed, Dr. Bill says the whisky is significantly older than the minimum two years required by law. The mash bill imbues the rye with softer flavors than its spicier 95/5 counterparts, but it’s made more lush by a secondary maturation in Pedro Ximénez Sherry casks, finishing in them for six to nine months.
Notes of raisin, orange peel, cinnamon spice, clove and candied nuts abound, carried along by a silky-smooth mouthfeel that will likely appeal to both whisky lovers and non-whisky drinkers (of which there may be many, given the size of Beyonce’s BeyHive fanbase).
The whisky takes its name from Davis Hogue, Beyonce’s paternal great-grandfather. Hogue grew up in the South and worked both as a farmer and a moonshiner, stashing whisky bottles for friends and family in the empty knots of cedar trees during Prohibition. SirDavis's eventual home will be in Houston (Beyoncé’s hometown), with both a visitor center and production center already in the works.
Julia Higgins is a senior editor for Wine Spectator sibling publication Whisky Advocate.
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