When Beyoncé Knowles-Carter sung “I’ve been drinking, I get filthy when that liquor get into me,” on her 2013 hit Drunk in Love, it would have been hard to picture her as the face of a premium US whiskey brand.
Yet 11 years later, ‘Queen Bey’ is exactly that, having this week unveiled SirDavis, an American rye created in partnership with LVMH subsidiary Moët Hennessy.
“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,” said Knowles-Carter in a press release announcing SirDavis.
At first glance, it would be easy to dismiss SirDavis as another celebrity cash-grab. The star power of Beyoncé – a global mega-icon worth a reported $760m – will no doubt help world’s largest luxury goods company flog a pricey spirit to the masses.
The reality, however, is somewhat more nuanced.
Does Beyoncé like whiskey?
Firstly, given the costs and complexities involved crafting a bespoke American whiskey, it’s safe to assume Beyoncé’s affinity for the spirit is more than a passing fancy.
Described by Moët Hennessy as “a Japanese whisky enthusiast”, she reportedly sought out the company to help her create a spirit that combined the mouthfeel and texture of Japanese whisky and scotch with the robustness of an American rye.
And while a tequila, champagne or RTD cocktail might have been an easier sell to her legions of – let’s face it, predominantly female – fans, whiskey is actually a better fit for brand Beyoncé. Her Texas roots and recent country music turn will make for powerful marketing tools for Moët Hennessy to leverage in its storytelling.
And leverage them they have. SirDavis takes its name from Davis Hogue, Knowles-Carter’s paternal great-grandfather, a farmer and a moonshiner in the American south during Prohibition. Its bottle, meanwhile, features “a regal bronzed horse” not dissimilar to the one ridden by the singer on her latest album, Cowboy Carter.
How was the whiskey made?
Secondly, given Moët Hennessy’s spirits stable already includes well regarded malts Glenmorangie and Ardbeg, the liquid – created by master distiller Bill Lumsden – is unlikely to disappoint.
Lumsden selected a bespoke mash bill of 51% rye and 49% malted barley for SirDavis, which has been matured in new American oak and finished in PX sherry casks. Bottled at 44% abv without chill-filtration, it promises a “silky, sophisticated profile with layers of dark red fruits and spices like clove and cinnamon”. In another nod to Knowles-Carter’s southern heritage, it is finished, blended and bottled in Texas.
Carrying a reassuringly expensive rsp of £79 and having already won accolades at the 2023 New York International Spirits Competition and the 2023 Ultimate Spirits Challenge, SirDavis is likely to be sought after by Beyoncé fans and whiskey aficionados alike. In the UK, it will be sold in upmarket retailers including Selfridges, Master of Malt, The Whisky Exchange and Berry Bros.
No downsides for Moët Hennessy
From a Moët Hennessy perspective, the tie-up also has no obvious drawbacks.
Having been hit by the slowdown in cognac in the past couple of years, increasing its exposure to American whiskey has been a priority for the group. Until now, it’s has made modest moves in a category that makes up 16% of all US spirits volumes [NABCA] – namely, the acquisition of Woodinville Whiskey in 2017 and the purchase of a minority stake in Whistlepig in 2020.
SirDavis is the first time Moët Hennessy has developed a spirits brand internally from scratch in the US. It’s unlikely to be high-volume enough to meaningfully shift the dial for the group on American whiskey, but if it’s a success, more further incubation or acquisitions could follow.
Celebrity tie-ups are no stranger to Moët Hennessy either. It enjoys a productive relationship with Beyoncé’s husband and long-term collaborator Jay-Z, having taken a 50% stake in the rapper’s Armand de Brignac Champagne brand in 2021.
And in partnering with Beyoncé, Moët Hennessy may just usher in a new generation of whiskey lovers.
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