From Vampire Diaries to Bourbon Bliss: Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder's Entrepreneurial Journey

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, actors Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder found themselves with unexpected free time on their hands. Rather than letting it go to waste, the longtime friends and co-stars on the hit TV series "The Vampire Diaries" decided to channel their creativity and entrepreneurial spirit into a new venture - the launch of their own bourbon brand, Brother's Bond Bourbon.

Tapping into Nostalgia and Crafting a Unique Spirit

Bonding Over Bourbon

Wesley and Somerhalder's shared love for bourbon dates back to their time on the set of "The Vampire Diaries," where their characters, Stefan and Damon Salvatore, were often seen enjoying the spirit. This on-screen bond translated into a real-life friendship, and when the pandemic hit, the two decided to turn their passion for bourbon into a business venture."Ian Somerhalder and I did a series for eight years together, and we sort of became known as the brothers who are fighting over a girl for eight years, and the only time they're bonding is when they're having a bourbon," Wesley explains. "So, for us, we've had bourbon on our minds for eight years."

A COVID-Inspired Project

With the world in lockdown, Wesley and Somerhalder saw an opportunity to bring their bourbon dreams to life. "COVID hit, and I was sitting around at home as everyone else was. Ian was as well, and he lives down the street — or he used to — not by design, and then we said, 'Hey, let's do this. Let's create a bourbon,'" Wesley recalls.The duo quickly got to work, tapping into their network and resources to make their vision a reality. "Ian called me and said, 'Hey, I actually have a great CEO of a liquor company, and I have some money we can raise, and we found some barrels we can blend,'" Wesley says. "And that was it. Then, I came up with the name Brother's Bond. I'm gonna go ahead and take that credit. I think I did a pretty good job because I think it like really captures the spirit of the company."

A Unique and Authentic Bourbon

One of the key factors that sets Brother's Bond Bourbon apart is the hands-on approach Wesley and Somerhalder have taken in its creation. "It's hand-blended by me and Ian. So, it's very unique. It's not like somebody handed us a blend and the bottle and they say, 'Oh, great. Just put your names on it, and you guys can endorse it,'" Wesley explains.The duo's attention to detail extends beyond the blending process, as they are involved in every aspect of the company's operations. "We also are one of the first bourbons to come out with a fully regenerative whiskey, meaning, I think, 85 percent of the grains in our regenerative whiskey are made of regenerative grain, meaning they're carbon negative," Wesley adds.

Tapping into Nostalgia and Building a Community

The success of Brother's Bond Bourbon can be attributed, in part, to the strong emotional connection that fans of "The Vampire Diaries" have with the two actors. "We're in a way kind of tapping into the nostalgia of the show that everyone misses because it's just unbelievable how popular the show is," Wesley says. "We launched this thing, and I think people were like, 'Oh my gosh, it's the two brothers.' They immediately had that emotional connection to it, and I think that's why it took off, but I didn't realize how potent that was."However, Wesley and Somerhalder are not content to rely solely on their celebrity status. They are actively working to expand the brand's appeal beyond their loyal fanbase and attract a wider audience of bourbon enthusiasts. "Right now, a lot of our consumers are fans of me and Ian. What we want to do is speak to the bourbon drinker, who's always for the last 20 years, drank — I don't know, I'm picking a random brand — Maker's Mark or, whatever, Woodford Reserve and have them go, 'I want to give this a shot. I want to try this,'" Wesley says.

Balancing Business and Creativity

As an actor and director, Wesley has had to navigate the balance between his entertainment career and his entrepreneurial ventures. "Definitely, for me, neither takes a priority. I mean, it's one of these situations where, with acting, it's very much a freelance job," he explains. "I need to be in front of the camera. I need to do things, as far as finding characters. That, for me, that's rewarding. I've done it since I was a child."At the same time, Wesley has found ways to apply his creative skills to the business side of Brother's Bond Bourbon. "My whole life, I've never done anything other than acting and directing and producing, and I'm always in the entertainment industry. Consumer goods and products, it's a totally different thing. But I think if you can kind of find moments of creativity in that, whether it's, 'Well, what's our identity, how do we market it?' Even design, we're redesigning some of our labels. It's just like, what's the emotion associated with the product, which is very much like, what you sort of put into a character," he says.

Expanding the Brand and Giving Back

As Brother's Bond Bourbon continues to grow, Wesley and Somerhalder have their sights set on expanding the brand's reach both domestically and internationally. They also remain committed to their charitable efforts, with a portion of the company's sales going to the Kiss the Ground organization, which focuses on regenerative agriculture."Look, I want to first, really, have a good grip on, again, my loyal consumer, my consumer that is not going to that is, 'This is my bourbon. That's my go-to. I'm gonna buy that for my bar.' And so just build that loyal base. I'm looking for long-term commitment," Wesley says. "It's like I'm on a dating app, that is what I really want to win over those bourbon drinkers and then build a community. Build a community of people that understand our cause, whether it's giving back — we donate a portion of all of our sales to Kiss the Ground — whether it's just the taste profile, or they love the aspect of bonding with someone, whatever. Just nurture that further and then expand."As Wesley and Somerhalder continue to navigate the world of entrepreneurship, they remain committed to staying true to their roots and creating a brand that resonates with both their loyal fanbase and the broader bourbon-drinking community.