‘The Vampire Diaries’ Stars Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley Talk Dreams For ‘Total World Domination’ With Brother’s Bond Bourbon Brand

Actors Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley, who played brothers in the TV show “The Vampire Diaries,” took the time to answer some questions for Whiskey Raiders to talk about their Brother’s Bond Bourbon brand.

The two have been involved in the bourbon business for a while now and have managed to create a very successful brand. They explained that they were originally inspired by their shared love of acting and whiskey. The two decided to combine their talents and create a bourbon that would be a go-to for whiskey drinkers on all levels. Their goal was to create a whiskey with “nuances, aromas and taste in perfect balance” to impress both casual drinkers and connoisseurs alike.

They have clearly succeeded in their mission, as Brother’s Bond Bourbon has quickly become a popular whiskey.

Brother’s Bond was inspired by your character’s bond on The Vampire Diaries, but what was the moment you looked at each other and said: ‘We’re starting our bourbon brand’?

Ian: We bonded on-screen with bourbon and bonded off-screen with bourbon. We always joke that the only way we could tolerate each other was to consume tremendous amounts of bourbon. And there’s some truth to that because you spend 11 years with someone—and we have this company together; it’s like a marriage. It’s our longest relationship! After “Vampire Diaries” ended, we had more time to put together a team of experts and were able to properly develop Brother’s Bond.

Was there a particular bourbon you hoped to emulate, or was the goal to create something unique?

Paul: The goal was to create something unique, a bourbon that had immediate approachability and was easy to drink but also very complex with nuances, aromas and taste in perfect balance to impress even the bourbon enthusiasts/connoisseurs.

While both of your characters loved bourbon, Damon can be seen with a glass of whiskey in almost every episode. What was Damon’s go-to bottle?

Ian: Actually, there was no bourbon on-screen! it was iced tea, unfortunately. However, if he did have a go-to bourbon, It would probably be something quite aged like the first distillation of bourbon once prohibition ended. Imagine the excitement in the distilling community and the craftsmanship that would have gone into the bourbon!

Did Stefan have a favorite bourbon?

Paul: I don’t think he had a specific bourbon. But if he did, it would have been Brother’s Bond for sure.

Where do you see Brother’s Bond in five years?

Ian: We want to be the go-to whiskey brand for all levels of whiskey drinkers! In other words, total world domination.

We love that the brand has been environmentally conscious. Was that always the plan, or did something specific inspire you to work with programs like Sustainable Grain?

Ian: I executive-produced a film called “Kiss the Ground“; this film essentially outlines how regenerative agriculture can help us reverse climate change—using planned grazing methods of hoofed herbivores, cattle, and wild buffalo to regenerate grasslands.

By creating a polyculture, more than one single crop. Using multiple species at one point and not tilling the soil, which destroys the soil, releases carbon dioxide. And it goes away, into the plants. So regenerative agriculture uses growing, living plants and food to draw carbon dioxide out of the air and store it in the ground where it belongs. That goes into the ground and becomes what is called a “carbon glue,” It feeds the micro-organisms in the soil, which is the microbiome.

It’s the surest way to get us out of this climate crisis and to build a regenerative food industry that is the biggest industrial operation in the world!

What sets Brother’s Bond Bourbon apart from other bourbon brands?

Paul: From a product perspective, four-grain, high-rye bourbon is very rare to come across in the category. Our bourbon’s taste profile appeals to both entry-level drinkers and experienced bourbon drinkers. Our brand ethos is about community and bringing people together.

Ian: Because [it’s about] the special bonds we share. In a time now in which we need those bonds more than ever in history!

When tasting what would be bottled as Brother’s Bond Bourbon, what about the liquid that made you say, “this is it”?

Paul: We look, smell and taste the liquid very carefully. We have specific sensory quality standards to achieve before bottling the final bourbon. We also ensure that all the grains are perfectly balanced across the palate.

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