‘It Opened Up a Whole New World’: Beyoncé Shares Her Whiskey Origin Story
(Photo: SirDavis)
In a profile with GQ published Tuesday, mega-celebrity Beyoncé, who recently launched her very own whiskey, a rye by the name of SirDavis, shared her origin story with whiskey and how she felt about the spirit upon first tasting it.
Here’s Beyoncé on whiskey, via GQ:
“I’ll never forget the first day I had whiskey. It spoke to me nice. I remember thinking, Why have I never had this before? It was strong and warm, just the right amount of challenge. I loved the process, the ritual of it. Whiskey isn’t something you just shoot down. It’s a commitment. You gotta have patience. I like that. Then I got into vintage Japanese whiskey and started doing tastings. It opened up a whole new world. I love everything about whiskey. The color, the smell, the way it dances in the glass.… And I love the stories that come with it. Every bottle has a history. I also like introducing whiskey to people who don’t know they love it yet. I think a lot more women would love it if they tasted it, and if they were really spoken to by the whiskey world.
Whiskey isn’t just for old men in smoky bars; it’s for anyone who appreciates depth, complexity, and a bit of mystery. The entire aging process is a labor of love, with attention put into every step, from the grains malting to the handcrafted barrels, and I appreciate all of it. Making whiskey is an art form. That’s what I love and respect about it. As the great Willie Nelson once said: Sometimes you don’t know what you love until somebody puts you on to some real good shit. So, to all the whiskey lovers out there, you’re welcome!”
Announced in August, SirDavis is named after Beyoncé’s paternal great-grandfather, Davis Hogue, who was a farmer and a moonshiner during Prohibition.
In the GQ profile, Beyoncé went on to claim that she wanted to create her own whiskey brand before she knew about her grandfather’s past.
“What is ironic and fateful is that I knew I wanted to create a whiskey brand before I knew the story of my great-grandfather,” she told GQ. “Discovering my history has been deeply inspiring and motivating. Our whiskey’s legacy dates back over 200 years to a Black man in Alabama in the 1800s…a man who was a businessman and an entrepreneur, but would have never had the opportunity to create a mainstream whiskey back then. Systemic barriers would not have allowed it. But it turns out that my great-grandfather’s hands planted the seed that laid the groundwork, and we honor him in the most profound way. This is more than just a business; it’s a fulfillment of a legacy.
“I’m a firm believer that the past, present, and future are very connected. Our history is a portal to our future. I feel connected to my ancestors and believe they are guiding me and my family. I try to keep my heart opened to their guidance. I’m an extension of my Uncle Johnny, my great-grandfather, my grandmother Agnéz Deréon. I love the things they loved, before I knew they loved them.
“Before anyone knew my association with SirDavis, I wanted the brand to gain its critical acclaim based on its taste and craftsmanship. I was adamant that we put our product in front of the toughest critics and earn their respect for the strength of the whiskey itself. After finalizing our recipe, we began submitting the whiskey into competitions to critics for tastings across the globe. There was no trace of “Beyoncé” on the bottles or in any of the branding. It was very intentional.
“It took years of hard work to feel confident enough to do that. Years of testing, testing and perfecting, what eventually became the final SirDavis recipe.
“My dreams, my passions, my skills, my fears, my traumas, my patterns, are all connected to my ancestors. They are part of me and I them. And I am honored to share the legacy of my family.”
About Beyoncé’s SirDavis Rye Whisky
SirDavis tapped Dr. Bill Lumsden, the renowned master distiller known for his work on scotch brands Glenmorangie and Ardbeg, to lead the project.
Lumsden selected the brand’s mashbill of 51% rye and 49% malted barley — unusually high in barley content — and finished it in sherry casks.
Bottled at 44% ABV, SirDavis retails for $89 and is available via SirDavis.com.
In early September, SirDavis was released online and at retail locations across California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, New York, Tennessee, Texas and Washington, D.C.
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