By Franklin County Magazine
There are some packages that arrive at the Franklin County Magazine office and immediately make us curious.
Our latest bottle for What We’re Exploring certainly did.
SirDavis American Whisky arrives in a striking, ribbed glass bottle adorned with a black medallion and bronzed horse. It’s elegant, distinctive and clearly designed to earn a permanent spot on the bar cart.
But we quickly learned there’s much more to explore here than beautiful packaging—or even the very famous name behind it.
SirDavis was founded by Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, bringing together her appreciation for whisky, her Southern roots and a family history she discovered stretched back generations.
The story of SirDavis begins long before Beyoncé. The whisky is named in honor of her paternal great-grandfather, Davis Hogue, a farmer and moonshiner in the American South during Prohibition. According to the brand, Hogue would hide bottles of his homemade spirit in the knots of cedar trees for friends and family to find.
“Sir” was added to his first name as a term of respect, creating SirDavis—a name meant to elevate and honor the man and his legacy.
For Beyoncé, discovering that history created an unexpected connection between her own appreciation for whisky and a great-grandfather she never knew.
That story immediately made SirDavis more interesting to us. This isn’t simply a celebrity name attached to a bottle. Family, place and legacy are woven throughout the brand.
Of course, a good story only takes a whisky so far. What really matters is what’s inside. SirDavis was developed with renowned Master Distiller Dr. Bill Lumsden, known for his work with Glenmorangie and Ardbeg.
And they didn’t exactly take the conventional route.
SirDavis is made from a distinctive mash bill of 51% rye and 49% malted barley. That combination brings together the characteristic spice of American rye with the softer qualities of malted barley.
The whisky first matures in American oak barrels before undergoing a second maturation in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks, adding another dimension of fruit and sweetness to the finished spirit. It is non-chill filtered and bottled at 44% ABV, or 88 proof.
There’s even a reason the label says whisky rather than the American whiskey. The spelling is a nod to the influence of Scottish and Japanese whisky styles on the finished product.
According to SirDavis, the official tasting profile begins with aromas of Seville orange, raisins, clove, cinnamon, ginger, Demerara sugar and toffee.
On the palate, expect buttery toffee followed by cinnamon, clove and rye spice, with softer malt and biscuit notes and a touch of citrus. Honey, dried fruit and cherry appear in the finish.
We asked contributor Roary Alexander to join our SirDavis tasting and give us his take.
“SirDavis smelled great and was very smooth. I picked up some orange, caramel, and spice, followed by a rich flavor from the sherry casks. The cask flavor lingered and was definitely the most noticeable part of it for me. It gave the whisky a distinctive finish that set it apart from others I have tried.”
That’s one of our favorite parts of the What We’re Exploring series. We can give you all the background and official tasting notes, but ultimately, we want to tell you what we thought when we poured a glass.
We have to give the packaging its own moment. SirDavis doesn’t look like a bottle designed to disappear into the back of a liquor cabinet.
The tall, fluted bottle has an almost architectural quality, while the black medallion and bronzed horse give a nod to Beyoncé’s Texas roots. It’s sophisticated without being overly ornate and would make an impressive bottle to bring out when entertaining.
It also makes SirDavis an intriguing gifting option for the whisky drinker who appreciates presentation almost as much as what’s being poured.
Interestingly, SirDavis was earning accolades before consumers even knew what it was.
The whisky was anonymously entered into spirits competitions prior to its public launch and received several honors, including Best in Class for American Whiskey at the 2023 SIP Awards, 95 points and Gold at the 2023 New York International Spirits Competition, and 93 points at the 2023 Ultimate Spirits Challenge.
That blind judging matters. Take away the celebrity name, the luxury packaging and the story, and the liquid still had to stand on its own.
SirDavis is an interesting contradiction—in the best way. Its roots are unmistakably American and Southern. Its namesake reaches back to a moonshiner making spirits generations ago. The whisky itself leans heavily on rye, an important grain in America’s whiskey history.
But its inspiration reaches beyond American whiskey traditions, incorporating elements associated with Scotch and Japanese whisky, along with sherry-cask finishing.
And the story continues to evolve. SirDavis debuted in 2024 through Beyoncé’s partnership with Moët Hennessy. In August 2026, it was reported that Beyoncé acquired Moët Hennessy’s stake in the business, giving her full ownership of the whisky brand.
For a spirit built around family legacy, that feels like an interesting next chapter.
Our What We’re Exploring series is about discovering products, places, flavors and experiences that catch our attention—and deciding whether they’re worth putting on your radar.
SirDavis certainly caught ours.
There’s Beyoncé, of course. But once you move beyond the famous founder, there’s plenty left to talk about: an unusual mash bill, an acclaimed master distiller, a sherry-cask finish, award-winning liquid, beautiful presentation and a family story rooted in the South.
And sometimes that’s exactly what we’re looking for when we’re exploring something new—a product that gives us a little more to talk about after the first pour.
SirDavis American Whisky
44% ABV | 88 Proof
Learn more about SirDavis and find cocktail recipes at the official SirDavis website.
Franklin County Magazine received a bottle of SirDavis for editorial consideration. Receiving a product does not guarantee coverage or a positive review. All opinions expressed in our What We’re Exploring series are our own.
Please enjoy responsibly.