With a project name - ‘Destiny’ - the clues were all there, albeit hidden in plain sight for only the most curious - or the Beyoncé super-fans to work out. However, as I entered the elegant Moet Hennessy headquarters - a stones’ throw from Victoria station in London, I was still very much in the dark about what I was about to taste, my sleuthing abilities pushed to their limits.
After various NDAs were signed, and checks by brand representatives that my phone was turned off and its camera thoroughly covered up I was led into the boardroom where two glasses were set up in front of me, a nondescript, unlabelled bottle of dark sprit lurking ominously on a side table.
The only familiar sight was the beaming face of Dr Bill Lumsden, LVMH’s extraordinary spirits maker and the man behind such spirited delights from Glenmorangie and Ardbeg single malt whiskies, which immediately put my mind at ease. With the cloak and dagger act over, Lumsden got down to the business of explaining what ‘Project Destiny’ - or SirDavis - was all about.
A taste of SirDavis whisky by Beyoncé
Three years ago Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, well documented as an enthusiast of Japanese whisky, had apparently sought out Moët Hennessy to help craft a one-of-a-kind flavour profile that reflected her tastes in the spirit - and her Texan heritage. “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,” the iconic singer explains.
With an almost slightly poetic note, it also happened that the spirits makers at Moët Hennessy had been exploring ways to widen the company’s presence in the competitive American whisky market, making the timing perfect for a formal partnership between the two. Lumsden was tasked with the job of figuring out how to develop a softer, sweeter style of American whisky, which draws its influence from the Japanese whiskies Beyoncé was familiar with.
After several different iterations, Lumsden hit upon a mixture of grains for the whisky’s foundations: 51% rye grain, which historically was the style used heavily in the pre-prohibition era of American whiskey, often bringing peppery/spicy flavours - and 49% malted barley, the backbone behind the characterful soft-yet-complex flavoured single malts crafted in Scotland and Japan. The whisky was then given a double maturation in two kinds of cask: firstly in American white oak, bringing swathes of vanilla, coconut and citrus zest, and then ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry casks (highly unusual in the wider canon of American whisky-making,) for a final period of around six to nine months, to give deeper, richer, fruity notes.
'We looked to challenge the category norms and offer something new in the space,' explains Lumsden, '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.'
So where does the name come from? Well, you won’t be surprised to hear that this was an aspect very close indeed to Beyoncé’s heart. The ‘Sir’ in question is in fact Davis Hogue, Knowles-Carter’s paternal great-grandfather, who was a farmer and a moonshiner in the Prohibition era, hiding whisky bottles in the empty knots of cedar trees, to be discovered by his friends. During Davis Hogue's time in the American South, "Sir" was a term of respect reserved only for white men. Fittingly, the Sir was added before his first name to give him his deserved respect to truly honour his lasting legacy.
'When I discovered that my great-grandfather had been a moonshine man, it felt like my love for whisky was fated,' explains Knowles-Carter. '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.'
The bottle design by the multi-award winning studio, Stranger & Stranger also gives credence to his legacy, with his initials, DH, inscribed into the base, and the entire creative process overseen by Knowles-Carter, whose brief was for a tall, eye-catching bottle with minimalistic, intentional design elements that serves as an emblem of power and luxury. With its ribbed glass, it uses no front labels besides a ‘SirDavis’ medallion, showcasing a bronzed horse in profile: a reference to Knowles-Carter’s Texas roots and symbolising both strength and respect.
So: to arguably the most important question of all: what does it taste like?
Neat (which is apparently the way Beyoncé prefers to drink it,) at 44% ABV and non-chill filtered (meaning it retains a lot of the richer oily compounds,) my expectations were high.
The first aromas were surprisingly spicy: cinnamon, ginger and cloves all meet in harmony, alongside candied orange peel and warmer, richer sherry notes and dried fruit. The first sip reveals a more traditional American whisky, with sweet vanilla notes, a touch of white pepper, fresh cherries, a slightly creamy toffee and a touch of soft oak.
Overall, It’s rich, complex and gloriously drinkable indeed!
With a block of ice, the flavours start to mellow and intermingle, with a slightly buttery character developing alongside the spices. There’s also a signature cocktail called a Honey Bee, similar to a Bees Knees, which brings together a double measure of SirDavis, fresh lemon juice and a dash of honey syrup, shaken and served in a couple glass.
With plans to open a dedicated Texan brand home in 2025, SirDavis will be available globally for retail at $89 (£79) from the 4th September, (including Selfridges, The Whisky Exchange and Berry Bros in the UK) with a preorder system operating until then from SirDavis.com
