Yes, you read that right, and no, it’s not clickbait. Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter can now add ‘whisky maker’ to her already impressive resume. Queen Bey might be better known for Lemonade, but she’s a keen whisky fan and known to enjoy a Japanese malt on occasion.
SirDavis is a rye whiskey made in honour of her paternal great-grandfather. He was a farmer and moonshiner in the American south during the years of prohibition. Upon discovering this fact Beyonce was inspired to craft her own American whiskey.
Beyoncé said “I’ve always been drawn to the power and the confidence I feel when drinking quality whisky and wanted to invite more people to experience that feeling. 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.”
To create the whiskey she partnered with Moët Hennessy, who then sent Glenmorangie and Ardbeg’s director of whisky creation Dr Bill Lumsden stateside to work on the project.
At some point during the creation process, Beyoncé might have thought to herself "this might be easier If I Were A Boy”. As it turns out, she took a leading role the direction of the whisky with little intervention.
For example, Dr Bill is keen to point out that his influence was somewhat minimal. He noted that SirDavis “is not my whiskey; this is her whiskey.”
It’s a sentiment shared by Ardbeg US Ambassador Cameron George. He explained: “when we started thinking about what the product is going to be, she led the charge. It had to be an American whiskey. Well, what’s the most historic American grain, the first grain that we started distilling here in the US? Rye. So it had to be a rye whiskey and then folding in malted barley.
“So again, there’s historical precedence, but then we’ve made it in our own unique way. So it’s a little bit about having respect and reverence for the category, but then also her putting her own interpretation, her own feel, to the classic traditions of the category as well.”
So what exactly is SirDavis? The whisky itself is made from a mash bill comprising 51% rye and 49% malted barley and is crafted at third party producer MGP. It is then aged in a combination of American oak barrels and Pedro Ximenez sherry casks before being bottled without colouring or chill-filtration at 44% ABV.
In terms of flavour, we can expect aromas of Seville oranges, cloves, and ginger leading to a classic rye profile complemented by notes of toffee and cinnamon. Hints of honey and ripe cherry come through on the finish.
It certainly sounds appealing, and we’re sure drinkers will be Crazy In Love with it.
Beyoncé also had a hand on role in designing the whiskey’s presentation. It’s a fairly minimalist design, with ribbed glass bottle lacking any label or motif save a black medallion with a gold horse. This animal was chosen as both a symbol of strength and a nod to Beyoncés Texas roots.
Indeed, Texas will be at the heart of the SirDavis brand going forward. The blending and bottling already take place in the Lone Star State, and there are plans in place to build a brand home in Houston. The sherry cask maturation element of the production process will also take place at this site.
With an RRP of US$89/£79, the SirDavis whiskey is relatively reasonably priced, so you won’t have to win too many rounds of Texas Hold ‘Em to get your hands on a bottle. SirDavis will be launched in specialist retailers and selected duty free stores from 4th September.
If you’re super keen and want to guarantee your bottle (say, as if you like it and want to put a ring on it), preorders are now being accepted at selected retailers.
