In honor of Election Day, Basil Hayden’s “Cultural Bloodhound,” Max Wastler, dug a little deeper into one of the oldest political campaign props – the button. The history of political buttons dates back all the way to Abraham Lincoln’s race for presidency in 1860, back when their campaign buttons were made by hand! An important political tool with a long history, buttons are a key part of any campaign and are a great way to show support for the candidate that you believe in. Over time, they have become an important American tradition and there is one U.S. maker in particular that embraces the history and tradition of button making: Busy Beaver Button Company. This maker has been crafting hand made buttons for nearly 20 years and since their inception, the Busy Beaver crew has overseen nearly 60,000 designs and produced several million buttons for companies, non-profits, and campaigns nationwide! They even have a section in the front of their office that is devoted solely to past political buttons!
Basil Hayden’s Swing Vote
Created by: Adam Bernbach, Washington, DC
Ingredients
- 1 ½ parts Basil Hayden’s® Bourbon
- ¾ parts Madeira
- ¾ parts Honey Syrup*
- ½ part Lemon Juice
- 1 dash Grapefruit Bitters
- Grapefruit Wheel Mint Sprig
Method
- Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake.
- Strain into a Double Old Fashioned glass with ice.
- Garnish with a mint sprig and a grapefruit quarter wheel.
Honey Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 cup Honey
- 1 cup Water
Method
- In a small saucepan, heat the honey and water.
- Stir until fully incorporated, then let cool and refrigerate.