Kamala Harris Whiskey Goes Viral After Joe Biden’s Endorsement for 2024 Presidential Election
Republic Restoratives’ “Madam” whiskey, meant to honor Kamala Harris, is going viral. (Photo: Republic Restoratives/Facebook)
Following Joe Biden’s endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris to succeed him as U.S. president, Washington, D.C. distillery Republic Restoratives is struggling to meet demand for its Harris-themed whiskey — titled “Madam.”
“Whoa. Re-stocking soon,” a graphic on the distillery’s Instagram page read Tuesday.
“It’s been a wild 24 hrs for everyone and our bottling team is no exception. You finished everything we had in stock. More is on the way but pre-order now to save your bottle(s),” Republic Restoratives wrote in the caption.
The Whiskey is having a moment after Biden agreed to resign from office and nominate Harris for the 2024 election.
Republic Restoratives had to call in “the big guns” to help bottle Madam, according to an Instagram story from Republic Restoratives East Coast Market Manager Emily Filkins posted Tuesday.
Boasting a final mashbill of 58% rye, 37% corn and 5% malted barley, Madam clocks in at 92 proof and is a blend of 7-year-old bourbon and 5-year-old-old rye. Republic Restoratives claims that the whiskey is “slow-smithed” before bottled, and it can be purchased for $89 at the brand’s website for local D.C. delivery.
The distillery hand-bottled around 400 bottles of Madam on Tuesday, according to Filkin, who also mentioned the distillery is “working furiously to fulfill orders this week.”
In May, Harris was spotted admiring a bottle at the Dupont Circle Farmer’s Market.
Republic Restoratives is a disruptive spirits line helmed by Pia Carusone, a Democrat and political strategist turned spirits entrepreneur. The portfolio has “Rodham Rye” a whiskey named after Hillary Clinton and “Dissent Gin” which inspired by the Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Washington, D.C.-based CBS news affiliate WUSA9 had Carusone on the show this week and tasted Madam with her.
“It is created to represent the best of America, we think,” Carusone expressed, according to the news outlet. “The folks who are outspoken, disruptive, and truly American in their fight.”
Carusone shared that Rodham Rye was initially created to celebrate the first female president, but the tables turned when Donald Trump was chosen during the 2016 election.
“We created Rodham Rye thinking it would be a celebration for the inauguration of our first female president,” Carusone said. “We started working on it well before the election. When the election hit we thought, ‘uh oh,'” Carusone expressed.
As for “Madam,” first released in 2021, Carusone shared that her spirits are meant for “everyday drinkers,” and the portrait of Harris is the result of a collaboration with a local artist named Lex Marie.
As for Republic Restoratives’ other spirits, Dissent Gin is a pastrami-spiced, 90-proof gin that was created to honor Ginsberg’s fascination with the New York Jewish deli, Russ & Daughters. According to the brand, Ginsberg never witnessed a business celebrate the owner’s female children. Republic Restoratives claims the Pastrami-inspired gin features botanicals of bay leaf, ginger, lemon, mandarin orange, hickory smoke and more. A portion of each bottle sold is donated to the National Network of Abortion Funds.
Just 330 bottles are available of Rodham Rye, and the whiskey is described by the brand as “a tribute to the women who make us who we are today.” The blended whisky is considered delicate and approachable, and the rye clocks in at 90 proof. Portions of bottle sales are donated to training women to run for office.
More About Pia Carusone: Political Strategist Turned Spirits Entrepreneur
Before she became the founder and distiller at Republic Restoratives, Carusone served as a political strategist and chief of staff for Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who was shot in the head in 2011 and survived.
Carusone had her own thoughts on political violence, and commented on the attempted assassination of Donald Trump that took place at a rally in Pennsylvania.
“Our view is political violence has no place in our society. We can work our differences out in the public square the way that we always have. We can fight in congress, but it should never take a turn to violence, unfortunately the way we saw recently.”
Carusone left Congress after Giffords resigned, according to Roll Call.
Instead of leaving D.C., she co-founded the city’s first woman-owned distillery with her friend, Rachel Gardner.
They toured over 100 distilleries across America, and started the distillery through crowd-funding, like Kickstarter and Indiegogo.
“We’re not descendants of distillers,” Carusone said, according to Roll Call. “We’re not sitting on a ton of cash.”
Republic Restoratives had humble beginnings, and with $119,000 the brand got its start. Roll Call reports that Civic Pride Vodka is the brand’s flagship spirit, priced at $35. But it appears Madam is taking Republic Restoratives to new heights — and after these last two weeks in politics, we could all use a drink.
The brand’s Madam Whiskey sold out in 24 hours after going viral, and Republic Restoratives is encouraging thirsty Harris fans to pre-order.
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