On the first song of Beyoncé’s album “Cowboy Carter,” she proudly declared she’s the “grandbaby of a moonshine man.” Now she’s continuing that legacy in a new business venture.
On Tuesday, Queen Bey announced she’s launching SirDavis whisky, in partnership with Moët Hennessy, a subsidiary of LVMH. She worked with Master Distiller, Dr. Bill Lumsden, to help craft the whisky.
The name honors Beyoncé’s paternal great-grandfather Davis Hogue, who was a farmer and a moonshiner during Prohibition in the American South. During that time he hid whisky bottles in the empty knots of cedar trees for friends and family.
With this in her family history, the 32-time Grammy winner, who enjoys Japanese whisky herself, felt launching a whisky brand was “predestined.”
“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,” she explained. “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 is described as gaining inspiration from Japanese and Scottish styles and contains layers of dark red fruits and spices like clove and cinnamon with a 44% ABV (88 Proof.) It’s finished, blended and bottled in Beyoncé’s home state of Texas.
“I think together we’ve risen to something that I’m hugely excited about. And I think whisky drinkers are going to be blown away because it’s really quite different from anything I’ve tasted before,” Dr. Lumsden explained.
It has already racked up some awards.
In 2023, it was anonymously submitted to some prestigious spirits competitions before it as released.
“SirDavis won Best In Class for American Whiskey from the 2023 SIP Awards, outperforming over 100 other entries in the category,” according to a press release. “Awarded to only one brand per category, this award is reserved for premium spirits receiving scores in the pinnacle of their respective categories and is SIP’s highest acclaim from consumer judges.”
It’s packaged in a ribbed glass bottle, which features a black medallion with a bronzed horse, “emblematic of strength and respect and symbolizing Knowles-Carter’s Texas roots.”
Eagle-eyed Beyhive members noted that the singer says “Davis in my bones,” in her song “Bodyguard” on her latest album. The line also served as the caption to her post on Instagram.
SirDavis is set to be released on Sept. 4, which is Beyoncé’s birthday. The whisky’s suggested retail price is $89.
To preorder, head here.